MINNEAPOLIS, MN. — San Diego senior right-handed pitcher Ivran Romero signed as an undrafted free agent with the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday morning, marking the sixth Torero to either be drafted by or ink a deal with a Major League Baseball team this week.

Romero, a San Diego native who attended nearby Poway High School, was a fixture out of the USD bullpen across all four years of his San Diego career. Named to the West Coast Conference All-Tournament Team in both 2022 and 2024 as he helped the Toreros capture a trio of WCC titles, Romero posted a 15-10 record and a 3.65 ERA across 177.1 innings pitched and 86 appearances (seven starts) in college while striking out 197 batters and notching 10 saves.

As a senior in 2024, Romero was 6-1 with a 3.11 ERA, three saves, and 60 strikeouts across 46.1 innings pitched and 23 relief appearances. He was at his best in the postseason this spring, closing out USD's 2024 WCC Tournament Semifinal victory over Portland with a three-inning, five-strikeout performance that saw him allow only one earned run before turning in 3.2 shutout frames with six strikeouts in an elimination game against UC Santa Barbara at the 2024 NCAA Santa Barbara Regional.

Romero signed with the Twins after USD's Josh Randall (Detroit Tigers, pick No. 85), Jakob Christian (San Francisco Giants, pick No. 149), Ariel Armas (Chicago Cubs, pick No. 153), Jack Costello (San Diego Padres, pick No. 300), and Drake Frize (Arizona Diamondbacks, pick No. 524) had their names called by big league clubs to comprise San Diego's largest draft class since 2019, when five Toreros were also selected.

He is the first USD player to sign as an undrafted free agent since 2020, when Adam Kerner agreed to terms with the San Diego Padres. Nine other San Diego players have either been drafted by the Twins or signed with the organization as undrafted free agents, including Colton Waltner (2017), Anthony McIver (2015), Bryan Haar (2012), Matt Hauser (2010), Anthony Slama (2007), Steve Singleton (2006), Ricky Barrett (2002), Tony Betancourt (1999), and David Jacas (1986).

At least one Torero has been selected in each of the last 35 MLB Drafts. Romero is the 154th player in USD history to either have his name called in the MLB Draft or sign with a Major League team, a span that dates back to 1964.