Former Oakdale star baseball player leaves USC; ‘coming home’ to Stanislaus State

Former Oakdale High and USC pitcher Bryce Dyrda is returning to the Stanislaus District to finish his college career.

Dyrda has transferred to Stanislaus State. The transfer was confirmed by Warriors coach Kenny Leonesio.

“I think Bryce’s experience in the Pac-12 will help other guys on our team,” Leonesio said in a text message to The Bee. “He knows how to pitch at a high level and what it takes to have success there and the type of work ethic you need in order to have that success. I see him coming in and being a team leader right away and helping the younger guys both on the field and in the clubhouse.”

Dyrda, who wasn’t available for comment, is a redshirt junior and will be eligible to play with the Warriors this fall. He has two years of eligibility remaining.

He isn’t the first big-time baseball recruit to leave the Stanislaus District for a Division-I program only to return.

Two years ago, Stanislaus State was a soft landing spot for East Union’s Jordan Kron. The quirky right-hander with the long hair transferred to the Division II university after beginning his career at UC Riverside, another Division I program.

Kron flourished for the Warriors. He was 16-8 with a sub-3.00 ERA and six complete games in 25 starts over two seasons. He was named to the all-California Collegiate Athletic Association first team and Division II West All-Region second team in the spring.

“We are very excited to see Bryce come back and play at Stanislaus for his final year of college baseball,” Leonesio said. “We have had success with some guys coming back and finishing up their baseball careers at Stanislaus. Jordan Kron is a great example of a local guy coming back and finishing out his career in a positive way and helping our program get to the postseason.”

Dyrda will try to recreate that same magic.

A heralded high school player, Dyrda, like Kron, played in the Valley Oak League. The 5-foot-11, 195-pound right-hander guided the Mustangs to three consecutive Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV titles from 2011-2013.

Dyrda hit .308 for his career, including .423 en route to All-District honors as a senior. Dyrda had nine doubles, two home runs and drove in 29 runs. He left his mark on the mound, though, where he was 20-6 as a starter with a 1.34 ERA and 225 strikeouts. As a junior, Dyrda enjoyed his best season. He was 11-2 with a 1.07 ERA and 95 strikeouts in 65.1 innings.

Dyrda committed to Southern Cal early in the recruitment process.

“I visited there and I loved everything about the school,” Dyrda told The Bee during Signing Day in November of 2013. “I loved the academics, the athletics, the school tradition, and the coaching staff is awesome. It’s the place where I felt the most comfortable.”

Turlock is home now.

Dyrda struggled to gain traction at Southern Cal. He redshirted his freshman season and then appeared in just one game in 2016, giving up three runs in one inning of work.

Last season, he was 2-2 with five saves and a 5.22 ERA in 17 appearances. He did not have a start.

Dyrda joins a recruiting class that also includes former Turlock High right-handed pitcher Nick Gonzales, who transfers in from Merced College.

Leonesio isn’t sure what Dyrda’s role will be with the Warriors. He projects as a closer at the next level, but with his experience, he could be an asset in the starting rotation.

That’s a decision for down the road, though.

“Bryce has proven that he can be a closer at a high-level coming from USC, so I could see him stepping right into the closer’s role for us,” Leonesio said. “We’ll see how the fall goes and decide if that is the best thing, or if becoming a starter would be best for the team.”

This story was originally published August 15, 2017 at 11:23 AM with the headline "Former Oakdale star baseball player leaves USC; ‘coming home’ to Stanislaus State."