Abbrie Covarrubias, USC prove ‘Mexicans can ball’
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José de Jesus Ortiz, Founder & Editor in Chief
- June 4, 2026
Latino core paces USC to first Super Regional in 21 years
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Deep into the 2026 season, USC second baseman Abbrie Covarrubias still gets goosebumps when he walks up to the plate while the legendary Vicente Fernandez’s “Por Tu Maldito Amor” plays.
The ranchera classic brings Covarrubias’ family to the plate with him, whether they’re watching the Trojans in the stands at Dedeaux Field, on the road or remotely hundreds of miles away.
“When you hear the trumpets of that song, it’s just so beautiful,” the junior second baseman said. “It starts off really slow and then kinda picks up a little bit. It’s the song that represents my culture.
“I love my culture. I love being Mexican, Latino. … It was cool because I kind of have my family with me even when they’re not with me.”
Returning to NCAA Super Regional
The first USC squad to reach an NCAA Super Regional in 21 years serves as a constant reminder that Latinos can ball. Covarrubias, the junior leadoff hitter, sets the tone with “Por Tu Maldito Amor.” His road roommate Adrian Lopez, another first-generation Mexican American, follows in the lineup.
Cuban American Augie Lopez, the Most Outstanding Player of the College Station Regional, bats third. Isaac Cadena is the starting catcher. Freshman right-hander/infielder Diego Velazquez has been a key arm. Sophomore infielder Maximo Martinez has also contributed this season.
Backup catchers Richard Tejeda and Isaiah Ibarra are Mexican Americans. Freshman infielder Hayden Woodson’s mom is Mexican. Pitcher Matthew Morrell, who didn’t pitch while recovering from injury, is the son of a Latina.
The Latino heritage extends to the pitching staff and coaching staff. Head coach Andy Stankiewicz and assistant coach Sergio Brown are also Mexican Americans.
More than soccer players
“It kinda shows that Mexicans can ball too,” Abbrie Covarrubias said. “We’re not just soccer players. A lot of them are. In that culture in Mexico you play a lot of soccer. You kick the ball around, and it’s cool to have a bunch of people on our team that have those roots and have that heritage to play baseball.
“It’s cool to see that. There’s a lot of talent within all of our groups. And we can do many, many different things. It’s not like we’re all good at one thing. We’re all very versatile.”
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Both of Covarubbias’ parents – Horacio and Paola – were born in Mexico. Adrian Lopez’s dad was 2 years old when he immigrated to California from Mexico.
They represent a city that is more than 50 percent Latino. Yet, Latinos make up only 17 percent of the student body at USC, which is considered among the best academic institutions on the West Coast.
Despite the small percentage of Latinos at USC, the Trojans are popular among Mexican Americans in Los Angeles.
“Por Tu Maldito Amor,” a ballad about heartbreak, fires up the crowd at Dedeaux Field.
Adrian Lopez fired up
Fans break out their raucous gritos as though they were at a fiesta back in their parents’ or grandparents’ old rancho.
“I get fired up every single time,” Adrian Lopez says. “I think what he’s doing is cool, just being really proud of who we are and our heritage and where we come from, our background.
“I love it when the fans get fired up. It is pretty sick when you have the whole stands going crazy for you. It’s probably a really good feeling for him. I enjoy it.”
They’re even prouder of the way they’ve played this season while helping Stankiewicz return the Trojans to prominence. They embrace the responsibility of living up to the rich legacy left behind by the alumni who helped USC become one of the best college baseball programs in history.
“It’s cool to be a part of history and bring back that culture of winning baseball to USC,” Covarrubias said.
In search of 13th national title
USC has won 12 national baseball titles, and the 2026 Trojans own the best home record in school history after finishing 39-1 at Dedeaux.
They stumbled in the opener of the College Station Regional at Texas A&M before winning four consecutive games in dominant fashion to return to a super regional for the first time since 2005.
Now they’ll take on North Carolina in the best-of-3 Chapel Hill Super Regional. If they can get past the Tar Heels, the Trojans will reach the Men’s College World Series for the first time since 2001.
“Growing up hearing stories about Trojan baseball early on in the 2000s and the tradition it has, it means a little bit more when you’re wearing the uniform and you’re now able to contribute to that tradition,” Adrian Lopez said. “For us the last two seasons to get to the postseason, it’s been huge.
“It’s really exciting. And this year to go farther it’s just another step we’ve been looking forward to and been excited about.”
José de Jesus Ortiz
Founder & Editor in Chief
Award-winning writer Jose de Jesus Ortiz, a former lead sports columnist at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, has covered Major League Baseball since 1997 in Los Angeles, St. Petersburg, New York and Houston. He was the first Latino to serve as president of the Baseball Writers' Association of America.
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