Uli Fernsler carved up opposing hitters, helping the Novi baseball team win a Division 1 state title as a sophomore in 2023, and averaging more than two strikeouts an inning as a senior.

He appears primed to make an immediate impact as a freshman at TCU.

The 6-foot-4 lefthander was identified by Baseball America as one of 15 players poised for breakout seasons as incoming freshmen in 2026.

“Few pitchers in the 2025 class created more uncomfortable at-bats than Fernsler, … whose unusual angle and crossfire delivery made him a nightmare for hitters,” Jacob Rudner, Baseball America’s national college reporter, writes. “His fastball isn’t overpowering — often in the upper 80s and occasionally sneaking into the low 90s — but the way it arrives flat through the zone and hides until the last instant gives it surprising life. Scouts consistently noted how advanced his feel was for using the pitch, moving it in and out with precision.

“Fernsler complements his heater with two quality secondaries — a firm changeup and a late-biting slider, both in the low 80s and both flashing above-average potential depending on the day. He’ll also flip in a slower curveball as a change of pace.”

As a senior at Novi, Fernsler went 4-1 with a 0.36 ERA, with 79 strikeouts in 36â…” innings, walking just four. Rudner noted that command in breaking down Fernsler’s attributes.

“Evaluators project him as a future plus strike-thrower — a rare label for a prep southpaw,” Rudner writes. “That reputation, combined with TCU’s tendency to trust polished arms, makes him a strong candidate for early innings on a roster aiming to make noise in 2026.”

The Horned Frogs are coming off a season in which they went 39-20 and earned an NCAA Tournament berth for the fifth time in the last six seasons there’s been a postseason tournament, including a spot in the eight-team College World Series field in 2023.

Fernsler generally was considered well inside the top 100 prospects for the 2025 MLB Draft after earning Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year honors and a spot on The Detroit News All-Metro first team as a senior. He went undrafted, likely because of his TCU commitment.

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