Baseball doesn’t define him

Loyalty means a lot to Sawyer Strosnider. 

He was not the highest touted recruit coming out of college. He ranked just outside the top 100 nationally in 2024 at No. 101 and was the 13th-best player in Texas. TCU offered him a place where he could grow.

“I think just being in a small school, I was overlooked a little bit for my talent," Strosnider said. "So two years of school isn't bad. Show them what I actually can do, and hopefully somebody takes a chance on.”

Sophomore Strosnider is currently projected to go top 10 in the MLB draft in July, and it is easy to see why.

He slashed .350/.420/.650 with 11 home runs, 51 RBIs and 10 stolen bases in 56 games last year. 

Strosnider said he tries to ignore the statistics, even telling family members to avoid showing him "any of that stuff."

“I’m staying present with the team,” he said. “If everything works out with the team, then it should work out for me too.”

He got off to a rocky start at TCU, hitting .140 through the beginning of the 2025 season.

“The coaches had a lot of faith in me and trusted me," Strosnider said. "So they sat me down and said, we saw what you did to our pitchers in the fall, and you're going to get out of this. You just have to stick with what you're doing.” 

About two weeks later, his batting average had shot past .300. This emergence pushed the Horned Frogs to make it to the Big 12 Tournament Championship.

"I made a couple minor adjustments with Coach Mo and hitting and everything started to take off from there,” Strosnider said, talking about Associate Head Coach Bill Mosiello. 

Then things fell apart, starting with an extra innings loss against Arizona. 

Things did not get better for them in the Corvallis Regional as TCU was outscored 20-3 by USC and Oregon State in back to back losses.

“I just think we didn't play our best baseball those last three games," Strosnider said. "We were really hot towards the end, and then just didn't play very good baseball.”

The whole experience helped him grow as a leader in the clubhouse.

“I went through it all last year, really low lows and big highs," he said. "I really talk with the younger guys, and when they're struggling, it's really not that bad. Stick to the process, and you're going to get chances.” 

After last season, Strosnider had options. Following his breakout year came outside interest — and money.

“I could have gone and got some money from a different school,” he said, but the thought of leaving quickly vanished. “I think just being close to home, being around this fan base is in this group of people around Fort Worth, like, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else other than this place.”

When he isn’t playing baseball, Strosnider enjoys spending time with family, who lives only 35 minutes away. Being close to home is more than convenience — it is perspective.

“Your situation is not as bad as you think in baseball and in life,” Strosnider said. “My brother has Down syndrome, and I'm super close to him. He's my best friend. I understand that I can have a bad day at the plate, but he struggles to learn a little bit every day. That really puts things in perspective. Baseball is just one part of life; it doesn’t define me.”

This mindset has helped Strosnider stay positive about the game that he loves.

“Baseball is hard, and it can eat you up,” he said. “But remembering that it’s still just a game — something I loved playing as a kid — keeps me locked in and enjoying it.”

For the overlooked recruit to projected top-10 pick, it’s about more than personal stats or accolades. It's about the team, the fans, his family, loyalty, trust and perspective

“I wouldn’t want to take an off day if somebody’s coming to see me play,” Strosnider said. “Taking care of my body, giving it my all, and appreciating every moment on the field — that’s what keeps me grounded, focused, and having fun with the game every single day.”