What to Know About USM Baseball's First Baseman Transfer Portal Signee

The Golden Eagles have big shoes to fill at first base with Matthew Russo having graduated, but their latest transfer portal get is certainly a step in the right direction.

Grand Canyon University Athletics/Rachel Sollazzo

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The Southern Miss baseball team has a big hole to fill at first base in 2027, given that Golden Eagle legend Matthew "Bull" Russo has graduated. Through four seasons at Southern Miss, Russo finished with a .302 batting average, 35 home runs and 152 RBI while always seeming to pull through in the game's biggest moments.

Despite the challenge the Golden Eagles have when it comes to finding a suitable replacement for Russo, it appears that they will have good competition at that first base position this offseason, especially with the recent addition of Grand Canyon University senior transfer Cannon Peery.

Peery By The Numbers

Grand Canyon University Athletics/Rachel Sollazzo

Peery was the only GCU player to start in all 51 games in 2026. The first baseman had a successful junior year, finishing with 54 hits, including 12 doubles, nine home runs and 32 RBI. With a team-leading 188 at-bats on the season, Peery posted a .287 batting average, .505 slugging percentage and .907 OPS.

Peery recorded 398 outs on 432 chances while playing at first base through 51 games with a .986 fielding percentage and just six errors as a junior in 2026. By comparison, Russo recorded 460 outs on 476 chances with a .994 fielding percentage and just three errors as a senior in 2026.

Eags Looking for a Trend of Infield Transfer Portal Success

Emery Powell

Judging from those stats, plus what we've watched on film, it appears that USM head coach Christian Ostrander and his staff have utilized the transfer portal well yet again. Southern Miss will never be too reliant on the transfer portal, as it loves to develop as much talent from within as it can, but when done correctly, it can be a great tool used to fill holes in the roster while also allowing new players from different places to experience what it means to be a Golden Eagle.

After losing Nick Monistere to the MLB Draft following the 2025 season, Coach Oz and company were able to fill that void nicely by bringing in Kyle Morrison from South Alabama. Morrison went on to lead the Golden Eagles with 17 home runs in 2026. Needless to say, that signing worked out well for both parties, and Southern Miss will hope for similar results in the infield with Peery in 2027.

Stay tuned to Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI for more offseason coverage of USM baseball, basketball and football in the coming weeks.