Baseball’s veterans, rookies have potential 


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Sophomore catcher Garret Guillemette stares across the diamond with his mask resting on his head.
Sophomore catcher Garret Guillemette is set to be a productive bat this year for USC. He hit for the second best batting average on last year’s team. (Rohan Palla | Daily Trojan file photo)

Baseball’s 2022 season starts Friday, Feb. 18 with a series against Santa Clara. Last season, the Trojans finished under .500, but a new injection of talent along with returning starters will drive a team with higher aspirations this year. Here are five players to look out for as the team begins its season. 

Sophomore catcher Garret Guillemette:

Guillemette’s breakout freshman season sets him up to be a key contributor this year. He slashed a .299 batting average, good for second-best on the team, with a .370 on-base percentage. He mostly hit for contact last season, totaling 10 doubles and 3 home runs. Taking the step to the next level will involve getting more power behind his swing. 

 Guillemette held his own on the defensive side of the ball as well. He led the team with 292 putouts, boasting a .994 fielding percentage on the year. As a catcher, his defensive capabilities are all the more important to the success of the team. 

If Guillemette picks up where he left off in his rookie season, he’s poised to be an important bat near the top of the lineup and a defensive stalwart. 

Redshirt senior starting pitcher Isaac Esqueda

Esqueda is one of the most experienced pitchers on the staff this season, bringing four years of collegiate experience to the table. Last season, he led USC in innings pitched, carrying the load as a starter. He shapes up to be the Trojans’ ace this season. 

The redshirt senior pitcher registered a 3.47 ERA and a 6-3 record in 14 starts last season. His ability to eat up innings while keeping runners off the bases gives the Trojans flexibility down the stretch in games. 

Esqueda has come a long way since being ranked the 320th best prospect in the class of 2017, and he will be a crucial component in USC’s upcoming season.  

Freshman pitcher Eric Hammond 

Hammond was one of USC’s top recruits in the 2021 class, registering as the No. 3 overall prospect out of Texas and the No. 1 overall right-handed pitcher in the state. The Arizona Diamondbacks drafted him in the 19th round of the 2021 MLB draft, but he opted against going pro in favor of committing to USC.  

Hammond’s 6 foot 4, 185-pound frame immediately puts him amongst the big leaguers in terms of size, and he has a repertoire of four pitches, including a fastball in the mid-90s. 

Oozing with potential, time will tell if Hammond can meet the Trojans’ expectations. 

Redshirt sophomore outfielder Rhylan Thomas

Thomas is another young piece in the USC squad who had an impressive beginning to his collegiate career. He’s already accrued two years of experience after redshirting his freshman season, appearing in a total of 64 games. 

Last season was a step forward for Thomas, holding the team’s third-best batting average at .296 as well as the third-most RBIs with 25. 

Thomas committed just 1 error over the course of his last two seasons, proving to be a reliable defender in the Trojans’ outfield. 

Redshirt junior first baseman/designated hitter Clay Owens

After losing one of their top power bats in Ben Ramirez, the Trojans will lean on Owens to provide extra-base hits this season. He led the team with 12 home runs last season, starting in all 51 games. 

In terms of batting average, Owens has yet to establish consistency. He slashed a .346 average in 2020, but last season saw him regress to .253. A key to his success at the plate is continuing to draw a high amount of walks, as he tied for the second-most walks on last season’s squad with 26.

Owens has room to improve on defense, as he committed 6 errors last season for a .980 fielding percentage. The Trojans leaned on him heavily last season, and improvement on his part could take the team to the next level.