Following two lackluster seasons with a combined 37-76 record, and the recent departure of head coach Shaun Cole in May and several players entering the transfer portal, San Diego State baseball looks to rebuild the program.
Five of the Scarlet and Black’s best hitters — junior Nevan Noonan, sophomores Finley Bates and Jake Jackson, and freshmen CJ Moran and Daniel Arambula — entered the portal, citing the coaching changes. Pitcher Marko Sipila also entered the portal after emerging as the team’s top arm in the rotation.
Sipila and Arambula both left SDSU, with Sipila joining Ole Miss and Arambula signing with the University of Utah. Jackson is the lone Aztec to return to the program, with the others still in the portal.
In June, SDSU hired Kevin Vance, an assistant coach at the University of Arizona, as the new head coach. Vance helped turn around Arizona’s pitching staff as they went to the College World Series. Before his tenure with the Wildcats, he coached at Boston College and the University of Rhode Island, where he primarily oversaw pitching development.
He has mentored seven players who have been selected in the MLB draft, four from his time at the University of Arizona and three at Boston College. Vance was a pitcher himself, getting drafted by the Chicago White Sox in 2011 and reaching Triple-A in 2015.
With the exciting new addition to the head coach position, SDSU finally found some luck in the transfer portal, leading to some promising signings.
The Oregon State Five
SDSU has signed five players from Oregon State University: Incoming seniors Tyce Peterson and Jabin Trosky, and juniors Dawson Santana, Levi Jones, and Drew Talavs.
Peterson played 47 games this past season, batting .288 with 10 doubles, two triples, five home runs, and 20 RBIs. While he is listed as an infielder, he mainly served as the team’s designated hitter due to shin splints. Peterson was a member of the Corvallis Regional All-Tournament Team, which went to the College World Series.
Trosky had injury troubles during his tenure with the Beavers, playing two games in the 2025 season, and did not play in the 2023 season. However, he had a solid 2024 season, hitting .288 with 33 hits, 20 RBIs, three doubles, one triple, and a home run in 40 games. He plays second base, third base, and shortstop.
As for Santana, he had limited time during his tenure as he started only three games and primarily served as a pinch runner or defensive substitute. Santana hit .200 in 15 at-bats with 3 hits, one double, and four RBIs.
Like Santana, Jones was not a regular for the Beavers as he started in six of the 16 games he played last season. In those 16 games, he hit .240 with three doubles and five RBIs. Jones is one of two left-handed hitters that the Aztecs brought in.
Talavs was the only pitcher the Aztecs signed from Oregon State, where he served as a relief pitcher. He pitched 2.2 innings with a 1-0 record and 10.13 ERA in the 2025 season compared to a 0-0 record and 4.63 ERA in 11.2 innings pitched in his freshman season.
Rainy Washington to Sunny California
Reeve Boyd was a redshirt freshman utility man and only played in three games for the University of Washington. He hit one double in four plate appearances for a .250 batting average and two RBIs.
Two Sun Devils
SDSU signed two soon-to-be junior relief pitchers from the Arizona State Sun Devils: Rohan Lettow and Alec Belardes. Lettow is a right-handed pitcher who had a 0-0 record with a 10.80 ERA. In 10.0 innings pitched, he gave up 15 hits, 12 earned runs, five walks, and eight strikeouts.
Belardes is also a right-handed pitcher and had limited playing time, with 0.1 innings pitched in two appearances, a 0-0 record, and a 27.00 ERA. He gave up two runs (one earned), three wwalksand hit one batter.
Double Wildcats
Right-handed pitchers Bryce McKnight and Carson Johnson are the only two players from the University of Arizona who followed Vance to SDSU.
McKnight was both a starting pitcher and a reliever in his sophomore season, where he made two starts in six appearances, posting a 1–0 record and a 7.27 ERA. He pitched 8.2 innings, giving up 11 runs (seven earned) on 14 hits, four walks, and eight strikeouts.
Johnson served as a relief pitcher for the Wildcats and had a 2-0 record with an 8.03 ERA in 12 appearances on the mound, where he allowed 11 runs on 15 hits, five walks, and struck out seven batters. Johnson had strong numbers in a large portion of his freshman season, posting a 2.45 ERA in 11 innings, but gave up eight runs in his last two outings, which increased his ERA.
Oregon Duck Goes South
Justice was a redshirt freshman catcher and played two games with the University of Oregon. While he did not get a hit in four plate appearances, he drew two walks and a hit-by-pitch with two runs scored. In high school, Perfect Game ranked him as the state of Oregon’s top-ranked catcher and sixth overall player.
Eagle to Aztec
Magpoc played outfield and shortstop for Boston College and started 53 out of 56 games as a sophomore in 2025. As an Eagle, he had a .233 batting average with 45 hits, 34 runs, 27 RBIs, 11 doubles, one triple, and three home runs. Magpoc joins Jones as the two left-handed hitting transfers.
Hoosier Comes Home
University of Indiana right-handed pitcher Trey Telfer (0-1, 4.15 ERA) is the only San Diego area native to sign with the Aztecs. He pitched 8.2 innings, giving up four runs on nine hits, seven walks, and striking out seven batters. As a freshman, he had seven scoreless outings in his nine games on the mound.
Orange County to San Diego
David Ladjevic played his sophomore season at Golden West College after transferring from Long Beach State. At Golden West College, he had a 4-3 record with 45.2 innings in 10 starts and 16 appearances. For the Dirtbags, he went 0-1 with a 23.14 ERA in five appearances, all in relief.
Taking the I-8 West
LaFave is an incoming junior from Central Arizona College who was used as a bullpen arm, like many of the other transfers. In 20 appearances, he had a 2-2 record with two saves and a 5.91 ERA. He pitched 35.0 innings, allowing 29 runs (23 earned) on 31 hits with 21 walks and 52 strikeouts.
D-2 to D-1
Nick Falla transferred from the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II Allegany College of Maryland, and had a stellar sophomore season. He went 10-1 with a 1.38 ERA and one save with seven starts in 17 appearances. The right-hander also pitched four complete games, two as he was selected to the NJCAA Division II Baseball All-American Third Team.
College of Southern Nevada Duo
SDSU signed two players from the College of Southern Nevada: right-handed pitcher Simon Lemke and catcher Anthony Marnell.
Lemke served as a relief pitcher for the Coyotes and went 3-0 with a 3.29 ERA and one save. In 23 appearances, the sophomore pitched 27.1 innings, giving up 10 runs, 18 hits, and 15 walks, while striking out 22 batters.
Marnell is the only switch-hitter of the class and was listed as a redshirt freshman. In 50 starts in 53 games, he batted .301 with 49 hits, 41 runs, 12 doubles, one triple, three home runs, and 36 RBIs.
