Know Your Foe: USC Baseball Players to Watch

Key players from USC you will need to know when they take on the TCU Horned Frogs on Friday afternoon.

USC Slides to win the game / USC Baseball X

Potential Starting Options

#12 Caden Aoki- Likely Friday Starter

Senior Right-handed pitcher from Huntington Beach, California

Caden Aoki has been a cornerstone of USC’s pitching staff and a respected leader within the program. The veteran right-hander consistently delivers quality starts, giving the Trojans valuable length on the mound. Aoki features a three-pitch mix: a sweeping fastball that keeps hitters off balance, a sharp, late-breaking slider that serves as his primary strikeout weapon, and a changeup with heavy downward movement designed to create weak contact for batters. For TCU to be successful at the plate, they must work the count, lay off chase pitches, and capitalize on mistakes in the zone.

#30 Mason Edwards- Potential Friday Secondary Starter

Sophomore Left-handed pitcher from Los Angeles, California

Mason Edwards has been one of USC's most frequently used arms, contributing in both starting and relief roles. While his high strikeout upside makes him a valuable option as a starter, he typically doesn't go deep into games. Edwards works with a three-pitch mix that keeps hitters off balance. His fastball sits in the low 90s, his changeup dives late with downward movement, and his sharp slider is particularly effective against left-handed hitters, often making hitters chase. For TCU, the key will be to apply pressure early and drive up his pitch count, forcing USC to turn to their bullpen sooner than planned.

#40 Andrew Johnson- Unlikley Friday Starter

Freshman Right-handed pitcher from San Juan Capistrano, California

Andrew Johnson quickly earned a spot in USC’s starting rotation this season and has been a steady presence on the mound. The freshman right-hander features a three-pitch mix: a fastball that sits in the mid-90s, a mid-80s splitter with late tumble that’s effective against both righties and lefties, and a sharp curveball with a quick, downward break. While Johnson is certainly capable of starting a high-stakes game, USC may opt to go with a more experienced veteran arm to open the series.

	ERA	Wins-Loses	Strikeouts	Appearances
Caden Aoki	4.21	5-4	81	15
Mason Edwards	3.62	2-0	40	11
Andrew Johnson	4.41	3-1	54	21

Follow KillerFrogs on X to stay up to date on all the latest TCU baseball news!

Potential Starting Lineup:

CF: Brayden Dowd .322 BA, 50 R, 69 H

3B: Ethan Hedges .343 BA, 54 R, 74 H

SS: Bryce Grudzielanek .304 BA, 43 R, 68 H

1B: Adrian Lopez .337 BA, 31 R, 69 H

LF/C: Andrew Lamb .324 BA, 27 R, 33 H

2B: Abbrie Covarrubias .296 BA, 34 R, 59 H

DH: Maximo Martinez .236 BA, 16 R, 17 H

RF/LF: Jack Basseer .280 BA, 27 R, 37 H

C: Richard Tejada .217 BA, 11 R, 15 H

Potential Bullpen Pitchers:

Caden Hunter: IP: 66.0, H: 69, R: 46 ER: 38, BB: 34, SO: 74, HR: 10, ERA: 5.18

Sax Matson: IP: 25.2, H: 23, R: 21, ER: 14, BB: 15, SO: 36, HR: 6, ERA: 4.91

Brodie Purcell: IP: 38.1, H: 21, R: 11, ER: 9, BB: 18, SO: 47, HR: 4, ERA: 2.11

Ethan Hedges: IP: 15.0 H: 9, R: 4, ER: 4, BB: 8, SO: 12, HR: 1, ERA: 2.40

Grant Govel: IP: 47.1, H: 50, R: 39, ER: 37, BB: 20, SO: 44, HR: 8, ERA: 7.04

Jude Favela: IP: 19.0 H: 14, R: 3, ER: 3, BB: 10, SO: 16, HR: 0, ERA: 1.42

Tee Southisene: IP: 12.1, H: 12, R: 9, ER: 9, BB: 6, SO: 6, HR: 0, ERA: 6.57

Ben Cushnie: IP: 12.2, H: 5, R: 3, ER: 3, BB: 7, SO: 11, HR: 0, ERA: 2.13

First pitch is Friday, May 30th at 2 pm CT. It can be seen on ESPNU or heard on 88.7 KTCU FM.

Recommended Articles

feed