UCLA Baseball's Incoming Class Earns No. 16 Ranking
September 26, 2016 | Baseball
The UCLA baseball program's incoming class has been ranked No. 16, nationally, by Collegiate Baseball, the national publication announced Monday.
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Entering his 13th season as UCLA's head baseball coach, John Savage has seen 10 of his 12 full recruiting classes in Westwood ranked among Collegiate Baseball's "top 20" classes since 2005. This year's incoming group includes 11 position players and three pitchers.
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"We believe that this is one of the deeper recruiting classes at UCLA in the last five years, particularly from a position player standpoint," Savage said. "Coach Bryant Ward played a major role in helping us secure this recruiting class, one that features an abundance of talented catchers, infielders and outfielders who will be relied upon to provide an immediate impact. It's a group of physical players who excelled in high school and, most recently, in collegiate summer leagues around the country. Our expectations are very high, and we're looking forward to seeing these young men get their collegiate careers underway."
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UCLA's incoming class includes three freshmen pitchers โ right-handers Ryan Garcia (Sierra Madre, Calif.) and Kyle Mora (Los Alamitos, Calif.) and left-hander Nick Scheidler (Encinitas, Calif.).
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The Bruins have added three catchers with sophomore Gavin Johns (Temecula, Calif.), a junior college transfer from Yavapai College in Arizona, along with freshmen Ty Haselman (Newcastle, Wash.) and Will McInerny (Laguna Beach, Calif.).
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UCLA's additional eight position players include Michael Toglia (Gig Harbor, Wash.), Chase Strumpf (Ladera Ranch, Calif.), Ryan Kreidler (Davis, Calif.), Jeremy Ydens (Campbell, Calif.), Jordan Prendiz (Visalia, Calif.), Jack Stronach (La Mesa, Calif.), Kyle Cuellar (Arcadia, Calif.) and Jarron Silva (Stockton, Cailf.).
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Toglia, who was named the MVP of this summer's West Coast League, can play both first base and the outfield. Cuellar, Kreidler, Strumpf and Stronach are infielders, and Prendiz, Silva and Ydens are outfielders.
UCLA's Incoming Players (Fall 2016)
| Name | Pos. | B/T | Ht. | Wt. | Hometown (Previous School) |
| Kyle Cuellar | INF | L/R | 6-0 | 170 | Arcadia, Calif. (La Salle HS) |
| Ryan Garcia | RHP | R/R | 6-0 | 170 | Sierra Madre, Calif. (La Salle HS) |
| Ty Haselman | C | S/R | 6-1 | 195 | Newcastle, Wash. (Liberty HS) |
| Gavin Johns | C | S/R | 6-2 | 195 | Temecula, Calif. (Yavapai College) |
| Ryan Kreidler | INF | R/R | 6-2 | 170 | Davis, Calif. (Davis HS) |
| Will McInerny | C | R/R | 6-0 | 180 | Laguna Beach, Calif. (Laguna Beach HS) |
| Kyle Mora | RHP | R/R | 6-1 | 180 | Los Alamitos, Calif. (Los Alamitos HS) |
| Jordan Prendiz | OF | L/L | 5-10 | 170 | Visalia, Calif. (Mt. Whitney HS) |
| Nick Scheidler | LHP | L/L | 6-2 | 170 | Encinitas, Calif. (La Costa Canyon HS) |
| Jarron Silva | OF | L/L | 5-10 | 170 | Stockton, Calif. (St. Mary's HS) |
| Jack Stronach | INF | L/R | 6-3 | 195 | La Mesa, Calif. (Helix HS) |
| Chase Strumpf | INF | R/R | 6-1 | 180 | Ladera Ranch, Calif. (J Serra HS) |
| Michael Toglia | 1B/OF | L/S | 6-5 | 200 | Gig Harbor, Wash. (Gig Harbor HS) |
| Jeremy Ydens | OF | R/R | 6-2 | 175 | Campbell, Calif. (St. Francis HS) |