UCLA baseball has eight players picked in 2015 MLB Draft

Four more UCLA baseball players were picked today to end the 2015 MLB Draft, making for a total of eight Bruins selected.

Outfielder Ty Moore, left-handed pitcher Grant Watson, infielder Chris Keck and reliever Tucker Forbes were each drafted, with all of but Forbes going by the end of the 18th round.

Here is the total draft haul out of UCLA this year:

RHP James Kaprielian, Jr. — First round, 16th overall, Yankees
SS Kevin Kramer, RJr. — Second round, 62nd overall, Pirates
RHP Cody Poteet, Jr. — Fourth round, 116th overall, Marlins
RHP David Berg, Sr. — Sixth round, 173rd overall, Cubs
OF Ty Moore, Jr. — 12th round, 367th overall, Pirates
LHP Grant Watson, Sr. — 16th round, 486th overall, Giants
INF Chris Keck, Sr. — 18th round, 527th overall, Rockies
RHP Tucker Forbes, RSo. — 30th round, 906th overall, Giants

A number of Bruin signees were also drafted: Continue reading “UCLA baseball has eight players picked in 2015 MLB Draft” »

Kevin Kramer is second UCLA player picked in 2015 MLB Draft

UCLA shortstop Kevin Kramer was picked No. 62 overall in the MLB Draft on Monday night, becoming the second Bruin selected in 2015.

Kramer was picked by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the second round, 46 spots after right-handed pitcher James Kaprielian went to the New York Yankees. The infielder had missed the 2014 season after undergoing surgery on his right shoulder, but was a key component of the team in 2015. As a redshirt junior, he ranked second on the team in batting average (.323) and first in walks (36).

Last month, Kramer estimated that his shoulder was at about 85 or 90 percent of the way to full health, but expected to be completely recovered sometime this summer.

The Pirates clearly didn’t have serious reservations about Kramer’s torn labrum, making him the highest-drafted UCLA position player since Jeff Gelalich went 57th overall in 2012.

MLB Draft: UCLA pitcher James Kaprielian a likely first-round pick

This evening, UCLA baseball will likely produce a first-round draft pick for the first time in four years.

Right-handed pitcher James Kaprielian, the Bruins’ Friday ace for the past two seasons, is projected to go off the board early in the MLB draft, which starts today at 4 p.m. PT. As a junior, the 6-foot-4 prospect led the Pac-12 with 114 strikeouts, and combined with closer David Berg for the first no-hitter in UCLA history.

Teams had expressed interest in drafting Kaprielian (10-4, 2.03) in the first two rounds in 2012, but Kaprielian product was set on attending UCLA. He was eventually taken in the 40th round by the Seattle Mariners, and became a reliever on the Bruins’ 2013 national title team as a freshman.

UCLA coach John Savage said that Kaprielian was somewhat underrecruited coming out Beckman High in Irvine, calling him a “football guy” who slipped through the cracks. That he wasn’t a big factor on the travel circuit suppressed his stock too.

“There wasn’t as much hype around him,” Savage said. “But we knew that he potentially could be a weekend starter. We saw his projection and his upside. We knew that this guy could pretty special. …We knew what we had.”

Based on numerous mock drafts, Kaprielian appears to be a lock for the first round. He is projected to go No. 10 overall by Sports Illustrated, No. 12 by ESPN, and No. 16 by Baseball America and MLB.com.

The last time a UCLA player was drafted in the first round was 2011, when pitchers Gerrit Cole and Trevor Bauer went first and third overall, respectively.

Here’s a list of all the Bruins ranked in Baseball America’s list of top-500 prospects: Continue reading “MLB Draft: UCLA pitcher James Kaprielian a likely first-round pick” »

UCLA’s season ends after 4-1 loss to Maryland in NCAA Regional

For the second straight year, the No. 1 overall seed couldn’t make it out of the NCAA Regionals.

This year, UCLA baseball was the one that fell, following Oregon State as the second straight tournament favorite to bow out early. In an elimination game against Maryland, the Bruins couldn’t scratch together enough offense in a 2-1 loss.

Afterward, head coach John Savage sat at the press conference table next to senior closer David Berg — whom he called the best reliever in NCAA history — and redshirt junior shortstop Kevin Kramer. He took the time to thank both: “They made my job a lot easier.”

“The culture of UCLA baseball — it is clearly in a position that we’ve never seen it before,” Savage said. “The last, let’s call it six years, since 2010. … We’re very proud. We have very proud team members. We know what we need to accomplish. We still need to accomplish a lot more.”

Click through to read the full game story from Jackie Robinson Stadium tonight.

UCLA’s John Savage wins his first Pac-12 Coach of the Year honor

UCLA coach John Savage is surrounded by players as he hoists the College World Series championship trophy on June 25, 2013. (Eric Francis/AP)

UCLA coach John Savage is surrounded by players as he hoists the College World Series championship trophy on June 25, 2013. (Eric Francis/AP)

Even UCLA’s most accomplished baseball coach can break new ground. On Wednesday, John Savage was named Pac-12 Coach of the Year for the first time.

Savage had been named national coach of the year by multiple publications in 2013, following the Bruins’ first and only College World Series title. However, the conference’s top honor had eluded him until his 11th season in Westwood, one during which UCLA set a school record with 22 wins in league play.

The Bruins, who lead all Division I teams with a 2.16 ERA, earned the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament on Monday and will host a regional this weekend. Their first game is against Cal State Bakersfield at 8 p.m. at Jackie Robinson Stadium.

Closer David Berg (7-1, 0.73 ERA) was also named Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year, becoming the only Bruin to earn the honor twice in his career. Continue reading “UCLA’s John Savage wins his first Pac-12 Coach of the Year honor” »