Baseball

Three Aztecs Earn Spots on CSC Academic All-District Baseball Team

San Diego State’s Aidan Russell, Jabin Trosky and Drew Talavs were named to the CSC Academic All-District Baseball Team for their success on the diamond and in the classroom, as announced Tuesday by College Sports Communicators.

Three Aztecs Earn Spots on CSC Academic All-District Baseball TeamThree Aztecs Earn Spots on CSC Academic All-District Baseball Team

 

SAN DIEGO– San Diego State’s Aidan Russell, Jabin Trosky and Drew Talavs were named to the CSC Academic All-District Baseball Team for their success on the diamond and in the classroom, as announced Tuesday by College Sports Communicators, formerly known as the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

To be eligible for nomination to the 2026 CSC Academic All-District Division I Baseball Team, candidates must have at least a sophomore standing and maintain a cumulative grade-point average of 3.50 or higher, playing at least 90 percent of the team's competitions or starting at least 66 percent of the time. Additionally, pitchers must appear in at least 17 games or complete at least 35 innings.

With his award, Russell earned his third career CSC Academic All-District honor, while Trosky and Talavs received the first such distinction as collegians.

A second-team all-Mountain West selection, Russell appeared in 21 games as a relief pitcher in 2026, compiling a 6-2 record with a 2.53 ERA and 49 strikeouts. The Aztec senior topped the conference with six saves and shared the team lead with six victories, which was tied for third in the league.

In addition, Russell merited two straight MW Pitcher of the Week plaudits in early March. The Vacaville, California, native made arguably his biggest career save when he preserved the Aztecs’ 4-3 victory at then-No. 1 UCLA on Feb. 24 after retiring all 11 batters he faced.

Earlier this spring, Russell was also named to College Baseball Foundation’s National Pitcher of the Year Watch List in March. He received his degree in kinesiology from San Diego State with a cumulative 3.73 grade point average.

A first-team all-Mountain West honoree, Trosky started 58 of 60 games at shortstop, ranking second on the team with a .324 batting average, 77 hits and 52 runs scored, while adding two homers and 27 RBIs. The Aztec senior was the second-toughest player to strike out in the MW this past season, fanning once every 12.5 at-bats, which was good for 34th nationally.

In addition, Trosky did not commit an error in 24 conference games for a clean 1.000 fielding percentage in that stretch. The Carmel, California, native was also slotted second on the squad with multiple hits in 24 starts and tied for SDSU’s second-longest hitting streak of the season at 10 games.

Earlier in the season, Trosky was named to the Brooks Wallace Award Watch List, which recognizes the nation's top collegiate shortstop.

One of five transfers from Oregon State on the 2026 Aztec roster, Trosky received his undergraduate degree from San Diego State in educational leadership in intercollegiate athletics with a cumulative 3.92 GPA.

Meanwhile, Talavs posted a 4-4 record with a 6.75 ERA and 62 strikeouts in his first season as an Aztec, making 14 starts in 15 appearances on the mound. The junior right-hander was slotted second on the team with a .269 opponent batting average, which ranked sixth in the Mountain West, while occupying the third position on the squad in strikeouts.

Last month, Talavs earned a spot on the all-tournament team at the Mountain West Championship in Mesa, Arizona, where tossed 5 2/3 scoreless innings with five strikeouts against three hits and zero walks in the Aztecs’ 9-2 triumph over Washington State on May 24, which kept SDSU’s title hopes alive a winner-take-all showdown against the same Cougar squad later that evening.

For the season, Talavs recorded five or more strikeouts on seven occasions, fanning a career-high eight batters in each of his first two victories as an Aztec (vs. LIU (Feb. 14) and at Washington (Feb. 28)).

Another Oregon State transfer, Talavs is pursuing a degree in communication at San Diego State and has accumulated a 3.56 GPA.

Under the guidance of Mountain West Coach of the Year Kevin Vance, the Aztecs captured the league’s regular-season championship, finishing with a 36-24 overall mark, their best record since the 2018 campaign.

Next season, SDSU will move to the Pac-12 Conference, joining Dallas Baptist, Fresno State, Gonzaga, Oregon State, Texas State and Washington State in baseball competition.

The CSC Academic All-America program separately recognizes baseball honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.

For more information about the CSC Academic All-District and Academic All-America Teams program, visit AcademicAllAmerica.com.