UCLA enters the 2016 season fresh off of one of its most successful campaigns in school history in 2015. Last season, the Bruins claimed their 11th Pac-12 Championship and set a new-school record with 22 conference wins. Their 42-14 regular season record earned them the number one overall seed in the NCAA Tournament and granted them host of the Los Angeles Regional for the fifth time in the past six seasons.
The Bruins return 24 players from last year's team and look to take the next step back to Omaha this season.
“This team is locked in and we have tremendous chemistry,” said Head Coach John Savage. “We have a challenging schedule with 15 games before league play begins that will let us know where we're at. With North Carolina, Cal Poly, Oklahoma, Mississippi State and Texas, I think it's the best non-conference schedule in the country. The schedule will prepare us for Pac-12 play and we know we can play that schedule.”
Head Coach John Savage returns for his 12th season as UCLA's head coach in 2016, following his 11th campaign which earned him his first ever Pac-12 Coach of the Year honor. He is currently the third longest-tenured head coach in UCLA baseball program history and has gone 394-270-1 in the past 11 seasons. In eight trips to the postseason at UCLA, Savage has compiled a 35-16 record (.686 winning percentage), recording the most postseason victories of any head coach in program history.
In 2016, UCLA will be led offensively by a strong group of outfielders which return all but one player from last season's impressive group. Additionally, the pitching staff is mixed with veteran leaders and young potential looking to duplicate a strong campaign from a season ago and propel the Bruins to another Pac-12 Championship and postseason berth.
PITCHING
The Bruins must replace three of their four starting pitchers from a season ago, with talented sophomore Griffin Canning being the only returner from the group. Despite the turnover, there's no lack of talent in the 2016 starting rotation. Starring in a relief role last year, junior Grant Dyer will assume Friday duties, with Canning following up on Saturdays. Highly-touted freshman right-hander Kyle Molnar will begin the season in a weekend role on Sundays, while a pair of left-handers, redshirt junior Hunter Virant and freshman Justin Hooper, battle it out for the midweek starting position.
Dyer went 4-2 with a 1.83 ERA in 42 appearances (one start) a season ago. The All-Pac-12 first team selection led the team in opponent batting average (.176) and finished behind just David Berg in appearances and ERA in 2015. Although the Dana Hills, Calif. native made just one start last year, he has experience in a starting role making 11 starts during his freshman campaign in 2014. This summer, Dyer struck out 31 batters in 24.2 innings for the Wareham Gatemen in the Cape Cod League.
“Dyer is a three-pitch guy who was an All-Pac-12 performer coming out of the bullpen last year,” said Savage. “His stuff has made a jump and he's now 90-93 with a hard, true, curveball and a much improved changeup. He holds runners, he fields his position and he knows our brand of baseball.”
Canning, a 2015 freshman All-American, posted a 7-1 record with a 2.97 ERA over 15 appearances (11 starts) last season. The Coto de Caza, Calif. native finished with the nation's second-best strikeout-to-walk ratio, setting down 66 batters, while walking just six. Canning retired 10 or more consecutive batters in six different games, including a three-game span (3/10, 3/14, 3/22) where he retired 28 in-a-row. UCLA compiled a perfect 11-0 record when Canning took the hill as a starter a season ago.
“Canning is a four-pitch guy who is very competitive and completely healthy,” stated Savage. “He is 88-92 with a good slider, curveball and changeup. He looks to be potentially a Friday guy who's pitching on Saturdays. Griffin is very athletic, and a lot like Grant [Dyer], he fields his position well and shuts down the running game.”
A 25th round selection of the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2015 MLB Draft, Molnar was a 2015 Perfect Game USA first team All-American and helped lead the U.S. 18U National Team to the gold medal at the COPABE Pan American Championship. A graduate of Aliso Niguel High School, Molnar posted a 1.57 ERA in his senior season, leading the Wolverines to the CIF-Southern Section Division I playoffs. This summer, Molnar threw a complete game no-hitter while pitching for the Walla Walla Sweets in the West Coast League.
“Molnar is a three-pitch guy with big upside,” Savage said. “He's 90-93 with a slider and tremendous plus-changeup. He's learning on the job, so we'll have to see how quickly he can pick things up, but we think he'll be a starter for us throughout his entire career.”
Virant began 2015 as a reliever before transitioning into the Sunday starter role late in the season. The Camarillo, Calif. native appeared in 23 games (four starts) posting an 0-1 record with a 3.45 ERA. Hooper was a 25th round selection of the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2015 MLB Draft and a Perfect Game USA first team All-American. The De La Salle High School graduate went 6-3 with a 1.50 ERA as a senior en route to leading the Spartans to the CIF-North Coast Section Division I Championship game.
“Hooper and Virant are still battling it out for the Tuesday role,” said Savage. “Virant had some quality starts last year and we're hoping to build off of that. Hunter brings experience, while Hooper has tremendous upside, a talented freshman with a good arm. Justin is still learning how to become a pitcher.”
In the bullpen, the Bruins have a host of talent, including 2016 NCBWA Stopper of the Year Watch List member Tucker Forbes. UCLA must replace two-time Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year and NCAA record holder David Berg, but a group of young arms are ready to seize the opportunity. Scott Burke and Moises Ceja will serve as the primary long relief options, while Nathan Hadley, Jake Bird and Forbes will lock down the sixth, seventh and eighth innings respectively. Freshman right-hander Brian Gadsby will look to fill the closer role and pick up where Berg left off.
“We like our bullpen depth,” said Savage. “We're very competitive and we're looking to establish roles right now; we like our core 12 or 13 guys. It's going to be an extension of what we've done in the past where our bullpen will be as good as our starting pitching. We run it like a major league team in the sense of where we're really looking for five innings out of our starters, if we get more than then that it's just icing on the cake. We want to be just as good at the backend of the game as we are at the frontend. Two worlds and one baton is what we call it.”
Hadley returns to the staff after redshirting the 2015 campaign. The Los Angeles, Calif. native was a 2014 All-State selection out of Loyola High School and struck out 26 batters over 12 appearances for the Wenatchee AppleSox this summer in the West Coast League.
“Hadley is 90-91 with a plus-changeup and a good slider,” said Savage. “Nathan is completely healthy coming off of a redshirt season.”
Bird had a successful freshman season in 2015, going 1-1 with a 1.38 ERA over nine appearances.
“Bird has made a significant jump,” Savage said. “He's 90-91 with heavy sink and run and a really good slider. He's a borderline four-pitch starter coming out of the bullpen.”
Forbes returns after having a breakout year a season ago, going 1-0 with a 2.11 ERA over 38 appearances. He struck out a team-high 10.57 batters per nine innings, setting down 45 in 38.1 innings of work. Forbes helped UCLA go 34-0 when leading after six innings, 35-0 when leading after seven innings and 37-0 when leading after eight innings.
“Forbes had a tremendous year last season and was part of probably the best bullpen in the country,” stated Savage. “Tucker will have the same role as he did a year ago and sits 90-91 with a slider and changeup. Forbes is a veteran.”
Gadsby, the 2015 and 2014 Glendale News-Press All-Area Player of the Year, steps into the closer role in 2016. As a senior at Crescenta Valley High School, Gadsby posted a 0.57 ERA and led his team to the semifinals of the CIF-Southern Section Division II playoffs.
“Gadsby is a guy that we have a ton of faith in,” said Savage. “He's very athletic and durable. He sits 87-88 and has a lot of the same mental characteristics that David Berg had. I like his competitiveness and toughness and he can get hitters out from both sides of the plate. I'm sure there will be some bumps, but he eventually will establish himself as our closer for the next three years; that's how much faith we have in him.”
INFIELD
UCLA returns two of four starting infielders from 2015, with veteran second baseman Trent Chatterton and last year's first baseman Luke Persico coming back. Joining Chatterton and Persico will be a group of young players ready to step up.
Persico will remain a starter on the infield for a third-straight season, but will take over at third base, his third different starting position in three seasons. Last year playing primarily first base, Persico started all 61 games, batting .285 with 41 runs and 43 RBI. Earning honorable mention All-Pac-12, Persico hit .363 with runners in scoring position and racked up a team-high 13 multi-RBI games.
“We made the move to put Persico at third and he's shown he can play there,” Savage said. “He played second base his freshman year, he played first base his sophomore year and now he's playing third base his junior year; that will be a first for us in terms of that sort of versatility. He has plenty of arm and athleticism and he's even shown up as more of an athlete at third than he did at first.”
Nick Valaika will take over for Kevin Kramer as the starting shortstop this season. However, Valaika is due to miss the early part of the season with a minor injury. In 2015, Valaika appeared in 11 games (four starts), racking up two runs and two RBI in limited playing time.
“Valaika will be our shortstop,” said Savage. “He'll be out until probably the second weekend. Nick has really turned a corner and he has a lot of the same mannerisms and characteristics of his older brother Pat Valaika. I really like his strength, his arm and his ability to have an impact with the bat. He's really a different player than he was last year.”
Chatterton will hold down second base for a second consecutive season in 2016. While Valaika is out, Chatterton will assume duties at shortstop until the sophomore returns. Last year, Chatterton appeared in 59 games (53 starts), hitting .280 with 36 runs and 28 RBI. For the second year in-a-row, Chatterton led the team in Pac-12 hitting, posting a .317 average during conference play. Also adept with the glove, the senior turned 29 double plays and totaled 149 assists.
“Chatterton will be back at second base this season,” said Savage. “In the meantime, he'll be at shortstop and Brett Urabe will be at second, but we like Chatterton at second. He's a guy that played 56 games as a sophomore at shortstop. He's hit over .300 in conference play in back-to-back seasons and he really should have been on an All-Pac-12 team the past two years. He's a very experienced player that can handle the game and handle velocity. Trent is a very smart Pac-12 proven player.”
At first base, Sean Bouchard takes over for Persico who slides across the diamond to third. Bouchard spent time at third and second base last season, appearing in 37 games (27 starts), leading all UCLA freshmen in appearances and starts. Bouchard hit .239 with nine runs and nine RBI, while making just one error in the field.
“We like Bouchard at First,” said Savage. “We're looking for him to have a breakout year. He has power to all fields and has adjusted well to first base. When we made the flip of Bouchard and Persico it improved our defense dramatically right away.”
Brett Urabe will serve as a utility man for the Bruins and will fill in at second base while Chatterton is tasked with shortstop duties. The Huntington Beach, Calif. native appeared in 45 games (eight starts) last season, hitting .297 with eight runs and six RBI. Urabe went 5-for-11 with runners in scoring position and 2-for-4 as a pinch hitter.
“Urabe has played well and is a super utility guy,” Savage said. “He can play shortstop, third base and can catch. We're working him out a little bit behind the plate, but right now he's starting at second base.”
OUTFIELD
The Bruins return all but Ty Moore from last year's impressive outfield group. In addition to the strong corps of returners, Eric Filia is back from a two-year absence to supply a power left-handed bat.
“This outfield is as good and deep as I think we've ever had. This group reminds me of guys like Brian Carroll, Beau Amaral, Jeff Gelalich and Cody Keefer; they have that type of presence. Our outfield has the potential to really hit.”
Brett Stephens will take over for Moore in left field and look to be a big contributor this season. Stephens, the team's top returning hitter, batted .298 with 42 runs and 22 RBI in 51 games (47 starts) in 2015. A constant speed threat, Stephens finished second on the team in triples (4) and steals (12). Also solid in the field, the Moraga, Calif. native posted a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage after committing no errors last season. This summer, Stephens batted .287 in the Cape Cod League for the Cotuit Kettleers.
“Brett has made a really big jump and had a strong season in the Cape Cod League,” said Savage. “He's faster, he's driving the ball better, tracking the ball better, throwing the ball better and he's just a different player in left field.”
Christoph Bono returns for his redshirt senior season in center field. Last year, Bono hit .241 with 33 runs, 30 RBI and a Pac-12 high six triples. One of the best defensive outfielders in the country, Bono made just one error in the field in 2015, posting a .992 fielding percentage.
“Christoph, we feel, is one of the best center fielders in the country,” Savage said. “He has length, he covers a lot of ground, he has a good arm and he's a smart player. I think he's one of the most underrated defensive players in the country. He's proven that over the years, he had just one error last year and he's really a gold glove center fielder.”
After two years away from the team, Filia comes back to play right field for UCLA. A big part of the Bruins' 2013 National Championship team, Filia was named to the All-College World Series team that year. This past summer, Filia ripped up the Northwoods League, hitting .340 with 48 runs and a league-high 55 RBI for the Kenosha Kingfish. The Northwoods League All-Star Game MVP led the Kingfish to the league championship.
“Eric is probably the most significant bat in our lineup,” said Savage. “It's different than it was two years ago. He has a tremendous eye and he's really a tough out. He can drive the ball and he's a good defender. Eric has an opportunity to be one of the best right fielders in the country.”
Joining Stephens, Bono and Filia will be junior Kort Peterson and freshman Daniel Amaral who should both see time in the outfield. Peterson hit .274 with 26 runs and 17 RBI in 52 games (44 starts) last season. Amaral comes in after earning 2015 CIF-Southern Section Player of the Year a season ago for Huntington Beach High School.
“Kort Peterson has gotten better; he's a different player,” stated Savage. “Then you have Daniel Amaral who's a fantastic young player. He's our only right-handed hitting outfielder so you'll see him against left-handers. He currently has a broken finger, but he should be back soon.”
“We have one of the best outfields in the country,” continued Savage. “We have five legitimate guys out there. You could have Amaral in center and Peterson in right and I'd still consider it one of the best outfields in the country.”
CATCHERS
UCLA lost starting catcher Darrell Miller Jr. to a shoulder injury in the preseason and must now depend on young players to fill in the gap.
“Darrell unfortunately went down with a labrum injury and will be out for the year,” said Savage. “He's a great player that had a big impact on last year's success. He's a very skilled player that can really catch and throw.”
Freshmen Jake Hirabayashi and Daniel Rosica, along with senior utility man Brett Urabe, will battle for the starting spot in Miller Jr.'s absence. None of the three have appeared in a game at catcher for UCLA in their careers.
“Jake Hirabayashi is a converted catcher who's done well,” Savage said. “However, he's still learning how to catch. We also have Urabe back there right now. Rosica has also really done a terrific job. We have a ton of confidence in our catchers, we know they can perform.”
SCHEDULE
UCLA will play a challenging 56-game regular season schedule, which includes 10 conference and 12 non-conference opponents.
The Bruins will open the season with a three-game home series against the North Carolina Tar Heels, beginning on Friday, February 19th. UCLA then hosts Long Beach State on Tuesday, February 23rd, before departing for San Luis Obispo for a three-game set at Cal Poly starting on Friday, February 25th.
In addition to the non-conference series with North Carolina and Cal Poly, the Bruins will also host the Texas Longhorns for a three-game series from March 11-13. UCLA's other non-conference opponents include Cal State Fullerton, CSUN, Long Beach State, Loyola Marymount, Mississippi State, Oklahoma, Pepperdine, UC Irvine and UC Santa Barbara.
UCLA will once again be featured in the Dodger Stadium College Baseball Classic, highlighted by a match-up with cross-town rival USC. The Bruins will play the Trojans on Sunday, March 6 at Dodger Stadium. Mississippi State and Oklahoma will serve as the other two institutions in the Dodger Stadium College Baseball Classic, with the Bruins hosting the Bulldogs on March 4 and the Sooners on March 5, both at Jackie Robinson Stadium.
The Bruins will open Pac-12 conference play on Friday, March 18 with a three-game home series versus the Washington State Cougars. UCLA's additional conference home weekends include series match-ups against Stanford (April 8-10), Oregon (April 22-24), USC (May 13-15) and Arizona State (May 20-22).
UCLA's schedule also features a demanding conference road slate with weekends at Arizona (March 24-26), California (April 1-3), Washington (April 15-17), Utah (April 29-May 1) and Oregon State (May 27-29).