Coach John Savage has completed 19 seasons as the head coach of the UCLA Bruins and might possess some of the most outstanding talent in Division 1 baseball. In order for them to go far in the NCAA tourney, however, they must rely on underclassmen to pave the way. Sophomore right handed hurlers Michael Barnet, Coby Delvecchio and Finn McIlroyare likely weekend starters for the Bruins. Look for freshmen Justin Lee and Cal Randall to be ready to step up and make an impact on the rotation,
The middle infield should be set for the third straight year with juniors Duce Gourson and Cody Schrier. They could be the combo to lead this team to a PAC-12 crown. Health will be the concern for this dynamic duo.
The real upside of this team is the incoming class that has been assembled. Baseball America named UCLA as having the best recruiting class in the country. The biggest thing here is Coach Savage has done this twice in the previous three years.
The 2024 version is loaded. The highest ranking position player, Roch Cholowsky from Chandler, Arizona will be in a Bruin uniform this season. The newest recruits have seven players in the Top 100 possible draftees, The recruiting class is very formidable. They include outfielder Frant Gray,infielder Phoenix Call, infielder Cameron Kim, pitcher Justin Lee, pitcher Luke Rodriguez and outfielder Dean West
The future is bright for UCLA and with their move to the Big Ten they are likely to dominate,
The Bruins open against Gonzaga on February 17-18, then follow with a one game midweek contest against Loyola Marymount. The following weekend has TCU in town for an important series.