Opening Day always gives college programs a chance to look around the professional game and see where their former stars have landed. As of Friday, March 27, Southern Miss has one former player on an active MLB Opening Day roster and two on active Triple-A Opening Day rosters, with a couple of other notable Eagles just outside that group because of injury or roster timing.
Matt Wallner, OF, Minnesota Twins
Years at Southern Miss: 2017-2019
Matt Wallner remains the headline name for Southern Miss in the majors. The former Golden Eagles slugger opened 2026 on the Minnesota Twins’ active roster, continuing what has become one of the most visible formers Southern Miss baseball players since Brian Dozier.. Wallner is now firmly established as a major-league outfielder, and he enters this season coming off a 2025 campaign in which he played in a career best 104 games, 22 home runs, 40 RBI, a .202 batting average, a .311 OBP, and a .464 slugging percentage for the Twins. his 22 homers were second on the club last season.
For Southern Miss fans, Wallner’s presence on an Opening Day roster is more than just a line item. He is the current face of the program in the big leagues. Wallner’s continued rise in the big leagues places him among the program’s modern pro standard-bearers.
Nick Sandlin, P, Salt Lake Bees (Triple-A, Angels)
Years at Southern Miss: 2016-2018
Nick Sandlin did not crack an active MLB Opening Day roster this year, but he did open the season on the Salt Lake Bees’ Triple-A Opening Day roster after signing a minor-league deal with the Angels organization in January. The Bees’ official Opening Day roster announcement lists Sandlin among Salt Lake’s right-handed pitchers.
Sandlin still brings legitimate major-league pedigree to that roster. He debuted in the majors in 2021, and he spent time in the majors with Cleveland for his first four years, before playing with Toronto in 2025. He elected free agency after last season. Even with the roster shuffle, he opens 2026 as one of the more proven Southern Miss arms in affiliated baseball, and one hot stretch in Triple-A could put him right back in the big-league conversation.
Reed Trimble, OF, Norfolk Tides (Triple-A, Orioles) (40-Man)
Years at Southern Miss: 2020-2021
Reed Trimble also opens 2026 in Triple-A, and his case may be the most intriguing of the group, as besides Wallner he is the only one on his parent club’s 40-Man Roster.. Baltimore optioned him to Norfolk on March 8 before activating him there.
Trimble’s 2025 numbers make him a name worth watching. Last year he batted .259, with a .342 OBP, .828 OPS, 17 home runs, and 21 stolen bases over 317 at-bats last season, and Baltimore added him to the 40-man roster in November. That combination of power, speed, and roster status makes him one of the clearest Southern Miss candidates to force his way into the majors later this year.
Near Misses and Other Names to Watch
A couple of former Eagles were close enough to the Opening Day picture to deserve mention even if they were not active on those initial rosters. Catcher Chuckie Robinson signed with the Dodgers on a minor-league deal in December and was assigned to Oklahoma City, but his MiLB page shows the Comets placed him on the 7-day injured list on March 27, taking him out of the active Opening Day mix. Robinson is still a worthwhile follow after posting a .261 average with 5 homers and 48 RBI in Triple-A with Oklahoma City during 2025.
Hurston Waldrep is another big Southern Miss-related name, although he transferred to Florida for his Senior Year. He began the 2026 season Atlanta’s major-league injured list, and MiLB/Braves reporting shows he is opening 2026 sidelined after elbow surgery rather than breaking camp with Atlanta or Gwinnett. He is not part of the active Opening Day count, but he remains one of the highest-upside former Golden Eagles in pro ball once healthy.
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