Troy Percival

Biography

Former Highlander and Major Leaguer Troy Percival (UCR Class of '91) comes back to UC Riverside and joins coach Justin Johnson's staff for the 2026 season. For the 2024 and 2025 seasons, Percival managed the Idaho Falls Chuckers in The Pioneer League. During his first stint (HC/2015-2020) at UC Riverside, Percival coached 14 All-Big West performers, and had 11 players selected in Major League Baseball's First Year Player Draft. The Highlanders boasted one of the largest win increases in the nation in 2016, improving by 11 victories. That season, UC Riverside tied for fourth place in the Big West Conference standings, which is the programs highest finish since 2010. Percival was a catcher during his three years with the Highlanders, and was drafted after his junior year by the California Angels in the sixth round of the 1990 Amateur Draft. Following a year as a catcher in the minors, Percival was converted to a relief pitcher, and during his rookie season of 1995, he finished fourth in American League Rookie of the Year balloting, going 3-2 with three saves and a 1.95 ERA, striking out 94 batters in 74.0 innings. The Angels made him their full-time closer in 1996, and he rewarded them by recording 36 saves and striking out 100 batters in 74.0 innings. Percival earned his first of four All-Star nods that season as he finished fourth in the league in saves. Two years later he would notch 42 saves, the second most in Angels’ history at the time, en route to his second All-Star se