Five Trojans to watch as the 2026 MLB season begins
The 2026 MLB season is here. Here are five Trojans for USC fans to watch this year:
2026 MLB Opening Day is here! While the current USC baseball team is off to a historic start to the season , there are also numerous Trojans who will be competing at the professional level this year. Who are some of the biggest such names?
Here are five Trojans for USC fans to watch this MLB season: Tyler Gilbert After starting his career at the junior college level, Gilbert pitched just one season at USC in 2015 before being selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the sixth round of that year’s MLB Draft. In 2021, he threw a no-hitter in his first career start with the Arizona Diamondbacks . He is currently a member of the Chicago White Sox .
Lars Nootbar Nootbar is USC’s biggest MLB star right now. An outfielder with the Trojans from 2016-2018, he was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the eighth round of the 2018 MLB Draft and made his MLB debut with the team in 2021.
He has been a key player for St. Louis over the past five years, but will begin the 2026 season on the 60-day injured list. Kyle Hurt Hurt pitched at USC from 2018-2020 and was drafted by the Miami Marlins in the fifth round of the 2020 MLB Draft.