USC Trojans' New Pitching Coach Faces Bullpen Challenge

On June 19, USC Trojans coach Andy Stankiewicz announced Keith Zuniga as the new pitching coach for the baseball program. Zuniga spent the past three years with the Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors where he developed their bullpen into one of the nation’s best.

As the associate head coach and pitching coach, Zuniga elevated the Rainbow Warriors to back-to-back 35-plus win seasons – 37 wins in 2024 and 35 wins in 2025. In the 2025-2026 season, Hawai’i’s pitching staff was nationally ranked No. 4 in WHIP (1.22), No. 5 in hits allowed per nine innings (7.37), No. 3 in shutouts (7) and No. 5 in opponent batting average (.222). Hawai’i was also one of four programs ranked in the top-20 in ERA the past three years.

"I am incredibly honored and grateful to join the USC baseball program as pitching coach," Zuniga said in his opening presser. "I want to thank Andy Stankiewicz for the opportunity and trust. USC's tradition of excellence speaks for itself. I can't wait to lock arms with the staff and get to work developing elite pitchers, competing for championships, and representing the Trojans."

We got our guy ✌️

Excited to announce @kzune24 as the new Trojan pitching coach!

Read up on one of the nation’s best developer of arms here: https://t.co/j7iZUyTeDs pic.twitter.com/IYtw4QudeZ
— USC Baseball (@USC_Baseball) June 19, 2026

Depleted Bullpen and MLB Interest

USC Trojans Big Ten Bullpen Sax Matson Andrew Johnson Mason Edwards Grant Govel Sean Allen — USC meets on the mound 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

As the Trojans continue to build a formidable ball club, they will face the challenges successful programs must address in the post-season: bringing in new talent on the coaching staff and on the roster.

The Trojans have lost 12 players to the transfer portal – five on June 11. Designated hitter Augie Lopez headlines the group, followed by six pitchers: Gavin Lauridsen, Matthew Morrell, Michael Ebner, Diego Velazquez, Garren Rizzo, Ben Cushnie and Jake Sekany. The depleted bullpen comes after the departure of Sean Allen.

On June 2, Allen accepted the head coach position for Lamar University, who Southern Cal had recently defeated in the College Station Regional.

Allen was the Trojans’ assistant coach and pitching coach the past two seasons. He was previously with Ohio State (2022-2024), Texas (2017-2022), Tulane (2015-2016) and Sam Houston State (2012-2014). In total he made three trips to the College World Series, five NCAA Super Regionals (six including USC) and 16 NCAA Regional appearances. Allen was also named D1Baseball’s 2021 Assistant Coach of the Year.

USC Trojans Big Ten Baseball Bullpen Sean Allen Caden Hunter — May 31, 2025; Corvallis, OR, USA; USC pitcher Caden Hunter (22) high-fives teammates after a game against Saint Mary's at the NCAA Corvallis Regional at Goss Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

In Allen’s first season at Southern Cal, he produced a nationally ranked pitching staff – top-30 in WHIP and top-35 in both hits-per-nine and strikeout-to-walk ratio – while aiding the Trojans in their first postseason appearance in a decade. Four pitchers were selected to the All-Big Ten team and Caden Hunter was drafted in the sixth round in the MLB Draft.

This past season, USC’s bullpen was one of the best in the nation. During the regular season they were No. 1 in hits-per-nine (6.98), No. 1 in shutouts (10), No. 4 in WHIP (1.20) and No. 6 in ERA (3.48).

Ace Mason Edwards was named Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, finished as a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award and selected to the All-Big Ten First Team. Grant Govel was also a first-teamer, Adam Troy and Jack Basseer earned second team honors while Andrew Johnson made the Big Ten All-Freshman Team.

Edwards and Govel are now eligible for the MLB Draft – Edwards due to completing three years and Govel due to his age. They were also invited to the MLB Draft Combine.

USC’s Current Bullpen

Barring any more transfers – portal closes on June 30 – or MLB draft departures, Southern Cal currently has 17 pitchers:

Adam Troy, redshirt-senior
Mason Edwards, senior
Tyler Gebb, senior
Sax Matson, senior
Oliver Boone, redshirt-junior
*RHP Andrew Harbour, redshirt-junior
Chase Herrell, redshift-junior
Grant Govel, junior
Andrew Johnson, junior
Cameron Fausset, sophomore
Paul Grossman, sophomore
Rohan Kasanagottu, sophomore
Alaka'i Kiakona, redshirt-freshman
Rallin Covey, freshman
Dustin Dunwoody, freshman
Jackson Schroeder, freshman
Bo White, freshman

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