Former Trojan’s World Series run reflects his baseball past

Amid the Philadelphia Phillies’ underdog run to the World Series is Garrett Stubbs, a former Trojan trying to write a storybook chapter in USC baseball’s heralded history and his own career.

The Phillies’ catcher is perhaps one of the best representations of the Trojan spirit on an active professional sports roster.

Stubbs had an illustrious four years at USC. He was a stud on both sides of the field, among the Pac-12 conference leaders in batting average, steals and runs — to name a few.

In 2015, Stubbs won the Johnny Bench Award given to the best catcher in college baseball, as well as the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year award. He led the Trojans to the College World Series regional final.

“He helped turn that USC program around when we were down, and it doesn’t surprise me that the teams that he’s on are successful,” said Nigel Nootbaar, a former Trojan pitcher and one of Stubbs’ teammate. “I think his mentality and what he brings off the field are very valuable.”

Yet Stubbs’ college success didn’t immediately translate to professional opportunities. He wasn’t drafted until the eighth round of the 2015 MLB Draft.

But Stubbs fought on, never losing sight of his goal. He worked for four years in the minors before finally being called up to the Astros in 2019.

“It’s just been amazing to watch him experience it and grow and support him along the way,” Stubbs’ mother, Marti Jo Stubbs, said.

However, Stubbs could never carve out a regular role with the Astros. The limited opportunities for playing time caused him to shift back and forth between the major and minor leagues in his three-year stint in Houston.

In the 2021 offseason, the Phillies traded for Stubbs, in hopes that he could become their backup catcher.

Now, finally on a team with an established role, Stubbs was put in a position to thrive, and he overachieved.

He had easily the best season of his career, was consistently on the major league roster all season and was ready to provide a spark off the bench whenever the starting catcher needed rest.

Stubbs had a successful first season in Philadelphia, but his path through the playoffs is a remarkable journey that’s been in the works since the beginning of his baseball career.

Throughout the postseason, the Phillies have been on a quest for a World Series title that has called back to Stubbs’ baseball past all along the way.

In the Wild Card Series, the Phillies matched up against the St. Louis Cardinals, where Stubbs faced former Trojan outfielder Lars Nootbaar.

Lars’ older brother Nigel attended a game during the series. Garrett’s younger brother CJ Stubbs, another former Trojan baseball player, was also in the stands for the same game.

“Our families, our friends and I were hanging out with [Garrett’s] little brother [CJ] before the game and he was playing against my little brother [Lars],” Nigel said. “It’s pretty wild to see that a couple of years ago, we would have never guessed that that’s the situation we’d be in.”

Reconnecting with the Trojan family in the playoffs was fitting, as it was a common theme during Stubbs’ entire season.

“The past couple of road trips that we’ve been on with the club, whether it be in New York or Chicago or wherever we are with the Philadelphia Phillies, we’ve been met by USC alumni that Garrett went to school with, and he’s going to lunch with them out on the road,” Garrett’s father, T. Pat Stubbs, said.

In the next page of reconnecting to Stubbs’ past, the Phillies won the Division Series against the Atlanta Braves, who kept him from winning a World Series with the Astros in 2021.

In the National League Championship Series, the Phillies faced off against the San Diego Padres. Again, it was a throwback for Stubbs, who grew up in San Diego and attended Torrey Pines High School.

The return to his childhood home for a postseason series allowed the opportunity for many of Stubbs’ family and friends to watch his team get to a win in the playoffs.

To win a World Series title, Stubbs and his fellow Phillies will have to beat his former team, the Astros.

The Astros are the team that drafted him, the team that gave him his first shot in the major leagues, the team that brought him the first taste of the playoffs with and the team that would eventually draft his brother CJ, who plays in the Astros minor league system.

To put the finishing touches on his storybook season, Stubbs will have to help his new team triumph over his old one.

Regardless of what happens, he has been the embodiment of a Trojan all season long, with his red armor-like catcher’s gear and readiness for battle whenever called on.

“If there’s anybody to go in and in a clutch situation that I would trust, it’s that guy, and I’d be excited to see that happen if it does,” Nigel said.

The world will be watching as he takes the field for his biggest battle thus far. The series will begin on Friday in Houston and can be viewed on Fox at 5:03 p.m.