USC adds a Trojan legend to its baseball coaching staff
USC has its full-time baseball coaching staff set behind new head coach Andy Stankiewicz.
The Trojans announced the hiring of Travis Jewett late last week. And USC officially announced Seth Etherton on Monday evening. Jewett will be the recruiting coordinator and hitting coach. Etherton will serve as the Trojans’ pitching coach.
Jewett spent the past six years at Tulane. He also spent time at Arizona State, Vanderbilt, Washington and Washington State.
“I’m so excited to announce Travis Jewett coming on board to be our recruiting coordinator and assistant coach,” said Stankiewicz in a statement released by the school. “He’s as good as they get in the country. I’ve never been around someone with more energy or passion for what he does in working with these young men. He knows how to develop players on and off the field and I’m so honored to bring him on staff to be a part of the Trojan Family.”
Stankiewicz and Jewett worked briefly together previously at Arizona State.
Etherton Returning to USC
Etherton is a name known to USC baseball fans. He authored a phenomenal pitching career as a Trojan.
Etherton played at USC from 1995-1998 and helped the Trojans win the College World Series in his final season. In 1998, Etherton won 18 games and set a then-Pac-10 and then-USC record with 182 strikeouts. He was the 1998 NCAA Player of the Year, a first-team All-American and the Pac-10 Pitcher of the year. It was his third All-American selection and second conference Pitcher of the Year award.
Etherton was selected by the Anaheim Angels in the first round of the 1998 MLB draft. He went 9-7 in his major league career, pitching for the Angeles, Reds, Athletics and Royals.
He got into coaching in 2013 and quickly made a name for himself. In 2016, he became a minor league pitching coach in the Reds’ organization.
“We are very excited to name Seth Etherton as our pitching coach,” Stankiewicz said in a statement. “His accomplishments as a player and as a coach are unparalleled. He brings experience and passion to our program. He was a great pitcher, and I know he is a great teacher. [Etherton] is a Trojan coming home! Fight On!”
Work to Do for the Trojans
USC’s coaching staff has significant work to do. Etherton knows the history of USC baseball and Stankiewicz would not have left a good thing at Grand Canyon to come to USC if he didn’t think he could build something.
But the Trojans are coming off a 2021 season where they finished last in the Pac-12 at 8-22 in conference play.
In the 17 years from 1987 through 2003, the Trojans never once finished below .500. In the 18 full seasons USC played from 2004 through last year, the Trojans finished below .500 12 times.
But Stankiewicz understands how to build a program. This is another hire by USC Athletic Director Mike Bohn that is receiving fairly universal praise.
USC’s announcement of the Stankiewicz hire included a quote from Damon Oppenheimer, the Yankees’ VP of Domestic Scouting:
“His resume of success as a college player, Major League player, minor league manager, college coach, and Team USA manager has shown he can win at all levels and develop talent on and off the field,” Oppenheimer said. “USC couldn’t have gotten a better baseball coach to lead the program to consistent greatness, and I look forward to seeing his results.”
