The University of Southern California’s Kevin Takeuchi, a junior utility player, has proved invaluable to the Trojans throughout his college career. He leads the 2026 team in RBI, doubles and walks. He also ranks second in hits and third in batting average. The right-handed hitter has slashed .309/.415/.528 for a .943 OPS with nine home runs and 14 stolen bases.
On the defensive end, Takeuchi has a .968 fielding percentage with 146 putouts, 35 assists and only six errors.
What’s most impressive about Takeuchi’s game, though, is his ability to perform in the big moments, among the best of the best, on one of the biggest stages in baseball: the NCAA D-I College Baseball Tournament. The Regionals have only served as a helping hand for Takeuchi’s numbers.
The first game of the Regionals ended in a 5-4 loss for the Trojans against Texas State, but the double elimination pool play setup kept their season alive. Takeuchi had one hit in that game.
In the next game against Lamar University, the right-handed bat decided to show that he wouldn’t settle for only hitting above .300. He recorded two hits, three walks and an RBI. He ended the game batting .307 for the season.
The following day in a rematch against Texas State, Takeuchi showed more signs of life. With no outs, bases loaded and an 0-1 count, Takeuchi took a slider and drove it over the center-field fence to give the Trojans an early 4-0 lead. In total, he recorded one walk, two hits and four RBI. The Trojans won, 15-4, and Takeuchi’s average stood at .309.
In the next two games against Texas A&M, USC won 13-4 and 7-1, respectively. In the first game, Takeuchi recorded two hits and two RBI; in the second, he had one hit.
The Trojans are heading to the Super Regionals and begin play Friday against the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill at 3 p.m. EST. Takeuchi will enter the round with that .309 average.
In his time at USC, Takeuchi has slashed .288/.377/.472 for an .850 OPS, and recorded 118 RBI, 72 walks and 18 stolen bases over 627 plate appearances.
Apart from his astounding USC career, he has also shown a liking for summer baseball. In 2024, after his freshman year at USC, Takeuchi slashed .323/.430/.478 for a .907 OPS for the Corvallis Knights of the West Coast League.
With all of this as background, this weekend presents the next opportunity for Y-D fans to get a taste of Takeuchi’s offensive potential that he’ll bring to Red Wilson Field this summer.
