PHILADELPHIA — Graduate right-hander Diego Gutierrez was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 17th round of the 2026 MLB Draft (500th overall pick) on Sunday, becoming the second Torero to hear his name called in this year's draft after catcher Jayden Lobliner went to the St. Louis Cardinals in the ninth round earlier in the day.

A native of Norwalk, California, Gutierrez earned All-WCC Honorable Mention accolades in his lone season on the Torero pitching staff, making a team-high 14 starts as San Diego's top option on the hill after transferring from Cal State Northridge as a graduate student ahead of the 2026 campaign.

Gutierrez closed his college career with 216 strikeouts across 227.2 innings in 60 appearances (41 starts) over five seasons between CSUN and USD, including a 73-strikeout campaign for the Matadors in 2025 that ranked ninth in the Big West.

In 2026, the right-hander tied for sixth in the WCC in starts while posting a 5-4 record with a 6.61 ERA, logging 84 strikeouts in 66.2 innings pitched — an average of better than 11 per nine frames — to go with three quality starts. He registered at least six strikeouts in 10 of his 14 outings, including notching a season-high eight punchouts on three occasions — against Utah (February 20), Michigan (February 27), and at Pepperdine (March 27).

Gutierrez set the tone in his first start at Fowler Park, recording a quality start by throwing six innings and allowing just two earned runs while walking none in an 8-4 Toreros victory over Utah in the home opener (February 20). He was at his sharpest in San Diego's West Coast Conference opener, throwing five scoreless innings and striking out six to earn a victory over Gonzaga (March 20).

Gutierrez is the 141st Torero to be drafted by an MLB team and the fourth USD player to be selected by Baltimore, joining Lucas Long (2014, pick No. 721), Max Homick (2013, pick No. 969), and the late Torero legend Brian Matusz, whom the Orioles took with the fourth overall pick in 2008 — still the second-highest draft selection in program history.

He is the 158th 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.