This past weekend, the Athletics selected USC pitcher Mason Edwards with the 47th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft. Edwards became the first Trojan taken in the first two rounds of the draft since 2009.
In a recent story, Shotgun Spratling of 247Sports spoke to some opposing coaches who faced Edwards this past year and offered their thoughts on him. Here are some of the highlights of what they had to say:
“He was dominant. The curveball is as good of a pitch as we’ve seen. Most guys with a pitch that has that much movement can’t command it. He knows exactly where he’s going with it. And he knows he’s good, he’ll let you know when he got you.”
“Really tough to game plan for. Three above-average pitches that all generate significant swing and miss. The best pitcher we saw all year.”
“He has an incredibly calm, confident demeanor on the mound. The fastball has good finish, but his ability to manipulate the spin and shape on the breaking balls are the separator. Rare to find a guy who can command it to both sides of the plate and throw it back door and back foot to a right-handed hitter with such precision.”
“Mason was one of the most fierce competitors I’ve coached against in my 33 years of coaching. His make up made his stuff elite. Off the charts metrics with a Nolan Ryan mentality! I’m glad he will be out of the league.”
It certainly seems as though opposing coaches are incredibly high on Edwards. Assuming that he signs with the Athletics, he will now look to replicate the success that he had with the Trojans at the professional level.
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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Opposing coaches discuss USC pitcher Mason Edwards
Reporting by Adam Bradford, Trojans Wire / Trojans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

By Adam Bradford, Trojans Wire | USA TODAY Network
