USC’s roster churn on the baseball side keeps rolling, and this time the Trojans are losing another big bat. Junior infielder Adrian Lopez has entered the transfer portal after two seasons in the program, according to On3’s Pete Nakos.
Lopez leaves behind a strong two-year run in cardinal and gold. Across his time at USC, he hit .316 with 144 hits, 97 runs, 93 RBIs and 20 home runs. His 2026 season was his best yet, both at the plate and as one of the most reliable presences in the lineup.
In 65 games this past year, Lopez posted a .304 average with 77 hits, 13 home runs and 47 RBIs. He was one of the Trojans’ most productive hitters throughout the season, and that production is going to be hard to replace as USC tries to build on its first Super Regional appearance since 2005.
Lopez is only the latest name to leave via the portal. USC has also lost catchers Isaac Cadena, Richard Tejeda, Jarrett Sabol and Augie Lopez, along with infielder Maddox Riskie and outfielders Nolan Eberwein and Will Stickney.
The turnover doesn’t stop there. On the mound, Diego Velazquez, Gavin Lauridsen, Ben Cushine, Garren Rizzo, Michael Ebner, Matthew Morrell and Jake Sekany are also heading to the portal. USC may have to lean on a new wave of arms next season, especially with Mason Edwards unlikely to return as a top pitching prospect in the 2026 MLB Draft.
Even with all that movement, Andy Stankiewicz’s group is coming off one of its best seasons in recent memory. In his fourth year at the helm, the Trojans finished one game short of the College World Series, losing to North Carolina in a winner-take-all Chapel Hill Super Regional matchup.
USC has already made one addition to help stabilize the pitching staff, bringing in Indiana left-hander Anthony Gubitosi, who is set to begin his fifth collegiate season.
The Trojans wrapped up the 2026 season at 48-18 overall and 20-10 in Big Ten play. Despite the offseason departures, there’s still a case to be made that USC can stay among the league’s best and push for another run at Omaha.
There is still some continuity on the roster. Grant Govel and Andrew Johnson are expected back on the mound, while junior infielder Kevin Takeuchi is also slated to return after a big year at the plate. Takeuchi hit .325 with 77 hits, 65 runs, 60 RBIs and 10 home runs last season.
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Indiana Just Lost Another Experienced Arm To The Portal
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Anthony Gubitosi arrives after stops at Delaware and Indiana, giving USC a left-handed option with a lot of college baseball behind him already. He spent last season in Indianas bullpen, where he was used in a limited role, and now gets a fresh start in Los Angeles for his fifth collegiate season as the Trojans continue to reshape the pitching staff. [Read more 🡒]
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That room is no soft landing, either, with veterans and other highly regarded recruits all pushing for snaps when the season arrives. Still, USC has not hidden its preference for getting freshmen on the field early rather than parking them for a redshirt year, and Hills fast start is giving the program another familiar Trojans storyline to monitor: whether a gifted young corner can force his way into the rotation sooner than expected. [Read more 🡒]
USCs 2026 Schedule Has An Uncomfortable Transfer Portal Twist
USCs 2026 football schedule already had the usual road-test intrigue, but it comes with an added layer of familiarity that will make a few Saturdays feel a little more personal. Several former Trojans are set to show up on the other sideline, creating a tour of recent roster departures that stretches across the fall and turns nonconference and Big Ten games into reunion opportunities.
The list includes Deijon Laffitte and Gino Quinones with Fresno State, Bear Alexander with Oregon, Kade Eldridge with Washington, Bryan Jackson with Wisconsin and Harry Dalton III with Maryland. For USC, it is the kind of reminder that the transfer portal can reshape a roster quickly, and also the kind of schedule wrinkle that can leave an old fan favorite or two in line for an awkward welcome back. [Read more 🡒]