USC Trojans: 2026 Season Preview
Twelve national titles. The most in college baseball history. USC's 2025 season — 37-23 in their first Big Ten campaign — showed that Andy Stankiewicz's rebuild has accelerated faster than anyone projected. Now the Trojans chase the standard their history demands.
The Program
2025 Season Results
Season Highlights
Returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2022
37 wins — highest total under Stankiewicz and a significant step forward for the program
Went 18-12 in Big Ten play, finishing fourth in the conference standings
Beat UCLA twice in the crosstown rivalry, including a walk-off in the regular season finale
Three players drafted in the top 10 rounds of the 2025 MLB Draft
2026 Roster Breakdown
Key returnees and transfer portal additions
Key Returnees
Rhylan Thomas
OF · Jr.Long Beach product. USC's best hitter and the face of the program's resurgence. Plus defender in center with premium bat speed and growing power.
Blake Cyr
INF · Sr.Santa Clarita native. Third baseman with a strong arm and consistent contact. Anchors the left side of the infield.
Jagger Haynes
LHP · Jr.Simi Valley product. Friday night starter with a plus changeup that neutralizes right-handed hitters. USC's most important returning arm.
Ben Thoits
RHP · Jr.Walnut Creek product. Saturday arm with a four-pitch mix and the ability to pitch deep into games. Consistently keeps USC competitive.
Alonzo Tredwell
RHP · So.Inglewood product. Electric closer with a high-90s fastball and a cutter that breaks bats. Freshman All-America candidate in 2025.
Colin Winn
C · Sr.Pasadena product. Defensive catcher with a strong arm and game-calling intelligence. Veteran presence behind the plate.
Transfer Portal Additions
Chase Davis
OF/1B · R-Sr.Two-time Pac-12 Player of the Year candidate who adds elite power to the middle of the order. The biggest portal addition in the Big Ten.
Tommy Troy
SS · R-Sr.Stanford captain who adds defensive excellence and leadership at shortstop. Pac-12 pedigree through and through.
Landon Marceaux
RHP · Gr.Former LSU ace who spent time in the minors and returned to college. Adds SEC experience and veteran poise to the rotation.
Derek Curiel
LHP · Jr.Lefty reliever with command and deception. Strengthens a bullpen that needed left-handed depth.
Kade Kern
OF · R-Sr.Big Ten veteran who knows the league's pitching. Right-handed outfield bat who provides lineup balance and veteran presence.
Pitching Staff Analysis
The Headline
Jagger Haynes (3.34 ERA, 101 K) is a legitimate Friday night ace with a changeup that is among the best in college baseball. Alonzo Tredwell (2.41 ERA, 10 saves) closes games with high-90s heat. The Haynes-to-Tredwell pipeline — ace to closer — gives USC a formula that can win postseason series.
The Rotation
Haynes on Fridays, Ben Thoits (3.78 ERA, 82 K) on Saturdays, and Landon Marceaux (from LSU) as the Sunday starter. Marceaux is the addition that transforms this rotation — a former SEC ace who has been to Omaha and pitched in professional ball. His experience fills the gap that cost USC in 2025 when the back end of the rotation faltered in the regional.
The Depth
Tredwell in the ninth. Derek Curiel (from Cal State Fullerton) adds left-handed depth that the 2025 bullpen badly needed. USC's middle-relief corps returns three arms who pitched well in Big Ten play. The pen is deeper and more balanced than 2025, and Stankiewicz can use it aggressively without burning starters.
Lineup Analysis
The Engine
Rhylan Thomas (.318/.412/.531, 14 HR) is the catalyst. He is the best athlete on the field every time USC plays, and his combination of speed, contact, and growing power makes him a projected first-round pick. Thomas sets the tone from the leadoff or three-hole.
The Middle
Chase Davis (from Arizona, .301/.412/.548, 18 HR) changes everything. He is the power bat USC has not had since the peak years. Davis and Thomas together give the Trojans a 1-2 offensive combination that can match anyone in the Big Ten. Blake Cyr (.295/.381/.458, 10 HR) rounds out the heart of the order with consistency.
The Supporting Cast
Tommy Troy (from Stanford) stabilizes shortstop and adds a professional-caliber glove. Kade Kern (from Ohio State, 11 HR) provides a right-handed outfield bat and Big Ten experience. Colin Winn (.261/.349/.394) catches and calls the game. This lineup has more depth than any Stankiewicz team to date.
2026 Schedule Highlights
Scouting Verdict
20–80 scouting scale
BSI Projection
USC's portal class changed the math. Chase Davis, Tommy Troy, Landon Marceaux, and Kade Kern are not fringe additions — they are program-altering pieces who slot into the starting lineup and rotation immediately. The 12 national titles cast a long shadow, and Stankiewicz is closer to the standard than the record suggests. Haynes and Tredwell give USC an ace-closer combination that can win a regional. Davis and Thomas give them an offensive ceiling that can win a super regional. Whether the middle innings and the Sunday rotation hold up will determine if the Trojans make noise in June. The talent is there. The history is there. Year 3 is the year the results need to follow.