The 2026 MLB Draft brought four USC Trojans into the pro pipeline, with left-hander Mason Edwards leading the group as the first Trojan off the board.
Edwards went No. 47 overall in the second round, and his season made it easy to see why. He was one of the most dominant pitchers in college baseball this year, earning Big Ten Pitcher of the Year honors while powering USC to the brink of the College World Series. The Trojans fell to the North Carolina Tar Heels in three games in the Chapel Hill Super Regional, but Edwards still finished with a blistering 1.97 ERA, 159 strikeouts, and an 8-0 record.
USC catcher Augie Lopez also heard his name called after entering the transfer portal following the 2026 college baseball season. The San Diego Padres took Lopez in the 10th round at No. 305 overall.
He put together a big year for the Trojans, hitting 19 home runs with 57 RBIs and a .274 batting average. Now Lopez has to sort through his next move while deciding whether to keep his college eligibility or head to the MLB.
Two more Trojans pitchers came off the board later in the draft. Pittsburgh selected right-hander Grant Govel in the 16th round at No. 468 overall. Govel made a major jump in his sophomore season, posting a 2.93 ERA with 96 strikeouts and a 10-2 record.
USC right-hander Adam Troy was the last Trojan picked, going to the Philadelphia Phillies at No. 519 overall in the 17th round. Troy’s lone season with the Trojans ended with a 4.56 ERA and 26 strikeouts, along with a 1-4 record.
Edwards is expected to join the Athletics farm system as one of the top pitching prospects in the draft. Lopez, Govel, and Troy could still return to USC if they choose to keep their college eligibility, and all three have until July 27 to decide whether they’re coming back to the Trojans or heading to the MLB.
In Other News...
USC May Have Found The Linebacker Answer It Has Been Missing
USCs linebacker room has spent the past few seasons looking for the kind of steadying veteran who can help pull everything together, and Deven Bryant looks like the latest attempt to solve that problem. The Washington transfer arrives with the kind of experience the Trojans wanted to pair with homegrown pieces Desman Stephens II and Jadyn Walker, giving the defense a more established voice in a room that has needed one.
Bryants value goes beyond simply being an extra body in the mix. After moving from WILL to MIKE linebacker last season, he settled into a role that better fit his game, and USC is betting that growth carries over into 2026 under Gary Patterson and Mike Ekeler. He is already being viewed as a potential starter and a leader, which is why he lands so high on the Trojans list of most important players for next season. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Lanning Just Got Pushed Back In A Massive 5-Star Battle
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For Oregon, the challenge is no longer just making a pitch, but trying to stay in the race as the picture around Faalave-Johnson keeps shifting. The Ducks are still in pursuit, yet the momentum has tilted enough to make this one feel like a long-haul fight rather than a simple flip attempt, and the next few moves will say a lot about how hard Oregon can press before the window starts closing. [Read more 🡒]
Lincoln Rileys Standing Just Took Another Hit At USC
Lincoln Riley arrived at USC in 2021 with the kind of immediate lift that made the hire look like a program changer. His first season delivered a Pac-12 Championship Game appearance and a trip to a New Years Six bowl, the sort of start that can buy a coach plenty of runway in Los Angeles.
The runway has shortened since then. After three straight unsuccessful seasons from 2023 through 2025, USA TODAY Sports now has Riley outside the top five Big Ten coaches, with Curt Cignetti, Ryan Day, Dan Lanning, Kirk Ferentz and Kyle Whittingham all slotted ahead of him. USC did show signs of life last year by going 7-2 in the Big Ten and signing one of the nations top recruiting classes, but the bigger question is whether that is enough to change how Riley is viewed after the recent slide. [Read more 🡒]