USC Trojans Baseball Loses Key Hitter to Transfer Portal

A key piece to the USC Trojans batting lineup will be missing next season as another player enters the transfer portal.

Jun 7, 2026; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; USC Trojans head coach Andy Stankiewicz at Boshamer Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

The USC Trojans baseball team has lost yet another crucial piece of their starting batting order to the transfer portal this offseason. According to On3’s Pete Nakos, junior infielder Adrian Lopez has entered the transfer portal after two seasons with the Trojans. 

In his two seasons with the Trojans, Lopez recorded a .316 batting average, along with 144 hits, 97 runs, 93 RBIs, and 20 home runs. This past season was the best of Lopez's two-year career with the Trojans, as he started his collegiate career with the Long Beach State Dirtbags before transferring to USC in 2025. 

May 31, 2025; Corvallis, OR, USA; USC infielder Adrian Lopez (5) waves off a teammate as he tags first base during the ninth inning against Saint Mary's at Goss Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Lopez appeared in 65 games for the Trojans this year and made the case throughout the season as one of the Trojans' most productive hitters in their lineup, recording a .304 batting average, along with 77 hits, 13 home runs, and 47 RBIs. The impact he had on the Trojans' hitting throughout the season will be missed next season for USC as they look to build off their first appearance in a Super Regional since 2005. 

USC Trojans Transfer Portal Losses This Offseason

USC celebrates a home run by Isaac Cadena (20) as the Oregon Ducks host the USC Trojans on May 14, 2026, in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Lopez is just the latest Trojan to enter the transfer portal, as other departures for USC this offseason include catchers Isaac Cadena, Richard Tejeda, Jarrett Sabol, and Augie Lopez. The Trojans also lost infielder Maddox Riskie and outfielders Nolan Eberwein and Will Stickney, who also opted to enter the transfer portal this offseason. 

On the mound, USC loses Diego Velazquez, Gavin Lauridsen, Ben Cushine, Garren Rizzo, Michael Ebner, Matthew Morrell, and Jake Sekany to the transfer portal. The Trojans look to rely on several new faces on the mound next season, as one of the best pitchers in college baseball, Mason Edwards, is unlikely to return to USC as a top pitching prospect in the 2026 MLB Draft.

Coach Andy Stankiewicz and the Trojans have seen major roster turnover this offseason following one of their best seasons in recent memory. Last season, the fourth under Stankiewicz, the Trojans came one game short of reaching the College World Series for the first time since 2001, falling to the North Carolina Tar Heels in a heartbreaking winner-take-all Chapel Hill Super Regional matchup. 

The Trojans recently added a new face to their pitching support with Indiana Hoosiers left-handed pitcher Anthony Gubitosi, who is set to enter his fifth collegiate season.

USC’s Outlook to the 2027 Season

Jun 7, 2026; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; USC Trojans pitcher Andrew Johnson (13) pitches the ball to the North Carolina Tar Heels during the second inning at Boshamer Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

The Trojans finished the 2026 season with a 48-18 overall record and went 20-10 in Big Ten play. Despite the recent offseason losses, there is reason for optimism for the Trojans to remain one of the top teams in the Big Ten and make a run at the CWS. 

Two of the Trojans' most promising pitchers on the mound, Grant Govel and Andrew Johnson, are expected to return for USC next season. Junior infielders Kevin Takeuchi are also set to return next season after being one of the top leaders in the Trojans' hitting this past year, recording a .325 batting average, along with 77 hits, 65 runs, 60 RBIs, and 10 home runs for USC last season.  

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