Photo by: Getty Images
USC Baseball Alum CJ Stubbs Makes MLB Debut with Washington Nationals
September 02, 2025 | Baseball
WASHINGTON, D.C. – USC baseball alum CJ Stubbs made his Major League debut with the Washington Nationals on Monday, becoming the 121st Trojan to play in the Big Leagues.
Stubbs was called up by the Nationals on August 29 and then made his debut on September 1, getting the start behind the dish in a 2-0 victory for the Nats.
Fellow rookie Andrew Alvarez was also making his MLB debut on the mound and the battery combined to make history with the shutout. Stubbs was the first Nationals backstop to catch a shutout in his MLB debut and Alvarez was the first Nats player to throw at least 5.0 scoreless innings in his debut. The pair were the first pitcher and catcher for any team to make their MLB debuts in the same game since 2008.
Stubbs played at USC from 2016-19, seeing time as both a pitcher and catcher during his collegiate career. Between the 2016 and 2017 seasons, Stubbs made 26 appearances on the mound and 18 starts, compiling a 4.57 ERA, with 62 strikeouts in 106.1 innings pitched.
After missing the 2018 season with an injury, Stubbs played exclusively behind the dish in 2019, batting .285 with six homers, three triples and 11 doubles, while driving in 35 runs and scoring 38.
Stubbs was drafted in the 10th round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Houston Astros and reached the triple-A level in Houston's minor league system before being picked up by the Nationals in 2024. He spent time at both the double and triple-A levels this season before being called up by Washington last week.
Stubbs is the brother of fellow Trojan and MLB alum Garrett Stubbs, who played for USC from 2012-2015 and went on to play for both the Astros and Phillies after making his MLB debut in 2019.
USC's 121 MLB alums are the most of any NCAA program. Trojan alums boast 67 All-Star appearances, 29 World Series appearances, nine Cy Young awards, three Hall of Fame inductions, three Rookie of the Year Awards, one American League MVP and one World Series MVP.
Stubbs was called up by the Nationals on August 29 and then made his debut on September 1, getting the start behind the dish in a 2-0 victory for the Nats.
Fellow rookie Andrew Alvarez was also making his MLB debut on the mound and the battery combined to make history with the shutout. Stubbs was the first Nationals backstop to catch a shutout in his MLB debut and Alvarez was the first Nats player to throw at least 5.0 scoreless innings in his debut. The pair were the first pitcher and catcher for any team to make their MLB debuts in the same game since 2008.
Stubbs played at USC from 2016-19, seeing time as both a pitcher and catcher during his collegiate career. Between the 2016 and 2017 seasons, Stubbs made 26 appearances on the mound and 18 starts, compiling a 4.57 ERA, with 62 strikeouts in 106.1 innings pitched.
After missing the 2018 season with an injury, Stubbs played exclusively behind the dish in 2019, batting .285 with six homers, three triples and 11 doubles, while driving in 35 runs and scoring 38.
Stubbs was drafted in the 10th round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Houston Astros and reached the triple-A level in Houston's minor league system before being picked up by the Nationals in 2024. He spent time at both the double and triple-A levels this season before being called up by Washington last week.
Stubbs is the brother of fellow Trojan and MLB alum Garrett Stubbs, who played for USC from 2012-2015 and went on to play for both the Astros and Phillies after making his MLB debut in 2019.
USC's 121 MLB alums are the most of any NCAA program. Trojan alums boast 67 All-Star appearances, 29 World Series appearances, nine Cy Young awards, three Hall of Fame inductions, three Rookie of the Year Awards, one American League MVP and one World Series MVP.
Baseball: Postgame Press Conference (USC vs OSU, NCAA Regional Round)
Monday, June 02
Baseball: Postgame Press Conference (USC vs SMC, NCAA Regional Round)
Saturday, May 31
Baseball: Postgame Press Conference (USC vs TCU, NCAA Regional Opener)
Friday, May 30
Baseball - USC 10, Washington 4: Highlights (05/17/25)
Saturday, May 17
