Copyright timesofsandiego
Former Aztec baseball player, three-time Major League Baseball All-Star and World Series Most Valuable Player Stephen Strasburg has rejoined the San Diego State baseball team as part of the coaching staff, it was announced Monday. “This place is near and dear to my heart. My parents are alumni, I’m an (alumnus), and it feels like I was pitching out there at Tony Gwynn Stadium just yesterday,” Strasburg said at a news conference Monday. “The college baseball landscape has changed a lot. It’s growing, and I’m excited to be a part of this group, be a part of this program again, and hopefully get the program to new heights.” The San Diego native, who attended West Hills High School in Santee, will serve as special assistant to the head coach on The Mesa. He will assist with duties such as fundraising and special events, as well as serving as a team mentor and pitching development coach. “Stephen Strasburg is arguably the best pitcher in college baseball history, but what makes this announcement so special is how much he cares about this program, this city, and giving back to the game,” Aztec coach Kevin Vance said in a statement. “He’s a proud Aztec and San Diegan, and he’s never forgotten his roots. “Stephen didn’t arrive on The Mesa as the individual we know today; he earned it through hard work, competing in a great culture and program built by Tony Gwynn. He wants to help give our players the same opportunity and environment to grow. We couldn’t be more excited to welcome him back home to SDSU baseball.” Strasburg was named to the 2025 College Baseball Hall of Fame induction class last June, following a stellar collegiate career. In 2009, Strasburg won the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award and was named National Pitcher of the Year by College Baseball Foundation. He also earned the Dick Howser Trophy that season, given to the nation’s most outstanding collegiate baseball player. “Honestly (if) my body would allow it, I’d still be pitching right now,” Strasburg said. “But I think I’m so blessed to play the game as long as I have. The years that I spent here on The Mesa were some of the best I’ve had in my career, and the relationships that I made in this game are really what I value the most. I go from being undrafted, and then in three years’ time here at San Diego State, to being the number one overall pick and accomplishing my dream.” He was also a consensus first-team All-America selection in both 2008 and 2009 and garnered Mountain West Pitcher of the Year accolades in each of those seasons. During his three years with the Aztecs from 2007-09, Strasburg set school records for most strikeouts in a game (23), season (195) and career (375). Strasburg also holds the school record for the lowest career ERA of 1.59 and tied the program’s standard for most victories in a season with 13 as a junior in 2009, according to an SDSU statement. “To have someone of Stephen’s stature, who chooses to give back to our players and program, says everything you need to know about who he is and what his values are,” Vance said. Following his career on The Mesa, Strasburg was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 MLB Draft by the Washington Nationals, where he stayed for the duration of his 13-year career, earning All-Star accolades in 2012, 2016 and 2017, before collecting MVP honors at the 2019 World Series. Strasburg was inducted into the Aztec Athletics Hall of Fame in 2014. He said he would bring his dedication to SDSU with him to the field. “I really believe that this is a baseball town now, and I think San Diego State should be at the front and center,” he said. “The NIL landscape is still the wild, wild west. But I grew up here, Kevin grew up here. All the talent is right here in our backyard, and the goal is to really get Tony Gwynn Stadium to the level where the top players in the in the area don’t want to go someplace else. They want to be an Aztec. (I really want to) do everything I can to rebuild that relationship with the community.” Updated at 10:57 p.m. Monday, Oct. 27, 2025
