UCLA Baseball Excels in Summer Leagues
September 06, 2016 | Baseball
The Bruins sent 26 players to compete in summer baseball leagues
UCLA's baseball program saw 26 of its returning and incoming players compete in summer baseball leagues around the nation โ including the Cape Cod League, the Northwoods League and the West Coast League.
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Four Bruins โ Jake Bird, Sean Bouchard, Moises Ceja and Justin Hooper โ had opportunities to compete in the prestigious Cape Cod League in Massachusetts. Bird became a mainstay in the Falmouth Commodores' rotation, going 3-2 with a 2.77 ERA in seven starts. Ceja helped anchor the Chatham Anglers' bullpen, going 2-2 with a 4.50 ERA and five saves in 14 relief appearances.
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Incoming UCLA freshman Michael Toglia, who can play at first base and in the outfield, was named the MVP of the West Coast Collegiate League. Hailing from Gig Harbor, Wash., Toglia batted .306 with a league-leading seven home runs for the Wenatchee AppleSox. He finished the summer with five triples, 10 doubles, 40 RBI and 27 runs. In addition, he was ranked the ninth-best prospect in the league by Baseball America.
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Rising sophomore Daniel Amaral (Duluth Huskies) was among the Northwoods League's most successful position players, batting .302 with 20 RBI and 34 stolen bases, the second-highest total among any player in that league.
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Hooper, a 6-foot-7 left-handed pitcher and rising sophomore, was rated the No. 5 prospect in the Cape Cod League by Baseball America. Ryan Kriedler, a 6-foot-2 infielder and incoming freshman, was ranked the eighth-best prospect in the West Coast League by Baseball America. In addition, Matt Walker, a 6-foot-2 right-hander who will be a redshirt sophomore this fall, was ranked the ninth-best prospect in the California Collegiate League by Baseball America.
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Below are brief recaps of UCLA's players in summer league action.
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Daniel Amaral
Sophomore โ Outfielder
Northwoods League (Duluth Huskies)
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Batted .302 with one home run, one triple, four doubles, 20 RBI and 24 runs in 51 games โฆ ranked second among all Northwest League players with 34 stolen bases (in 40 attempts) โฆ Duluth posted a 30-42 overall record โฆ played alongside UCLA teammates Nathan Hadley and Jake Pries.
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Garrett Barker
Redshirt Sophomore โ LHP
New England Collegiate League (Newport Gulls)
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Went 1-0 with a 4.86 ERA in 11 games (one start) for Newport โฆ totaled 22 strikeouts and 15 walks in 20.1 innings โฆ Newport recorded a 25-19 record in the New England League's Southern Division.
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Jake Bird
Junior โ RHP
Cape Cod League (Falmouth Commodores)
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Went 3-2 with a 2.77 ERA in seven starts for Falmouth โฆ recorded 29 strikeouts and 10 walks in 35.2 innings, the fourth-highest innings total on the team โฆ Falmouth went 29-15 overall, posting the best record of any West Division team.
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Sean Bouchard
Junior โ Infielder
Cape Cod League (Chatham Anglers)
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Batted .223 with one home run and six doubles in 35 games for Chatham โฆ tallied eight RBI and scored 13 runs โฆ Chatham finished the summer with a 17-26-1 overall record โฆ played alongside UCLA teammate Moises Ceja.
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Moises Ceja
Senior โ RHP
Cape Cod League (Chatham Anglers)
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Went 2-2 with a 4.50 ERA and five saves in 14 relief appearances for Chatham โฆ totaled 19 strikeouts and three walks through 18.0 innings โฆ Chatham posted a 17-26-1 overall record โฆ played alongside UCLA teammate Sean Bouchard.
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Zander Clarke
Redshirt Sophomore โ Infielder
Great West League (Portland Pickles)
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Batted .266 with two home runs, one triple, seven doubles, 18 RBI and 10 runs in 27 games โฆ Portland finished the summer with an overall record of 32-25 โฆ played alongside incoming UCLA freshman Jordan Prendiz.
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Brian Gadsby
Sophomore โ RHP
Northwoods League (Mankato MoonDogs)
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Went 4-0 with a 2.37 ERA and five saves in 20 relief appearances for Mankato โฆ registered 37 strikeouts and 20 walks in 41.2 innings โฆ Mankato finished the summer with a 46-26 overall record.
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Ryan Garcia
Freshman โ RHP
West Coast League (Yakima Valley Pippins)
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Went 4-5 with a 2.16 ERA and one save in 15 games (four starts) โฆ finished second on the team with 45 strikeouts and issued 21 walks โฆ Yakima Valley recorded an overall record of 32-22.
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Nathan Hadley
Redshirt Sophomore โ RHP
Northwoods League (Duluth Huskies)
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Made four relief appearances, going 0-0 with a 3.37 ERA โฆ recorded six strikeouts and three walks in 5.1 innings โฆ Duluth recorded a 30-42 overall record โฆ played alongside UCLA teammates Daniel Amaral and Jake Pries.
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Jake Hirabayashi
Sophomore โ Catcher/Infielder
Northwoods League (La Crosse Loggers)
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Batted .250 with three doubles, three RBI and seven runs in 24 games for La Crosse โฆ drew 12 walks and had just seven strikeouts โฆ stole six bases in seven attempts โฆ La Crosse compiled a 38-33 overall record โฆ played alongside UCLA teammates Jack Ralston and Gavin Johns.
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Justin Hooper
Sophomore โ LHP
Cape Cod League (Cotuit Kettleers)
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Went 0-2 with a 3.19 ERA in eight games (five starts) for Cotuit โฆ totaled 18 strikeouts and 15 walks in 25.1 innings โฆ was rated the fifth-best prospect in the Cape Cod League by Baseball America โฆ Cotuit went 15-28-1 overall.
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Gavin Johns
Sophomore โ Catcher
Northwoods League (La Crosse Loggers)
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Batted .226 with one home run, 20 RBI and 18 runs scored in 44 games โฆ La Crosse registered a 38-33 overall record โฆ played alongside UCLA teammates Jake Hirabayashi and Jack Ralston.
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Ryan Kreidler
Freshman โ Infielder
West Coast League (Wenatchee AppleSox)
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Batted .183 with one home run, seven doubles, 13 RBI and 31 runs scored in 44 games โฆ Wenatchee recorded a 19-35 overall record โฆ ranked as the No. 8 prospect in the West Coast League by Baseball America โฆ played alongside incoming UCLA freshmen Michael Toglia and Jeremy Ydens.
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Kyle Mora
Freshman โ RHP
West Coast League (Victoria HarbourCats)
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Went 1-0 with an 8.85 ERA in eight appearances (three starts) โฆ recorded 10 strikeouts and 10 walks in 21.1 innings โฆ Victoria recorded a league-best 40-14 overall record in the summer โฆ played alongside incoming UCLA freshman Jarron Silva.
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Jordan Myrow
Redshirt Freshman โ Outfielder
West Coast League (Walla Walla Sweets)
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Batted .186 for Wenatchee in 23 games, going 8-for-43 โฆ had one home run, four RBI and seven runs scored โฆ Walla Walla closed its summer with a 30-24 overall mark โฆ played alongside incoming UCLA freshman Nick Scheidler.
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Jon Olsen
Sophomore โ RHP
West Coast League (Bellingham Bells)
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Went 7-2 with a 2.05 ERA in 10 games (nine starts) โฆ recorded 42 strikeouts and 12 walks in 57.0 innings โฆ Bellingham finished the summer with a 32-22 overall record โฆ played alongside incoming UCLA freshman Chase Strumpf.
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Jordan Prendiz
Freshman โ Outfielder
Great West League (Portland Pickles)
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Batted .129 with six RBI and 12 runs in 28 games โฆ Portland recorded a 32-25 overall record โฆ played alongside UCLA infielder Zander Clarke.
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Jake Pries
Sophomore โ Infielder
Northwoods League (Duluth Huskies)
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Batted .210 with five home runs, two triples, three doubles, 27 RBI and 17 runs scored in 37 games โฆ drew 16 walks and was hit by a pitch seven times โฆ Duluth went 30-42 overall in the Northwoods League โฆ played alongside UCLA teammates Daniel Amaral and Nathan Hadley.
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Jack Ralston
Redshirt Freshman โ RHP
Northwoods League (La Crosse Loggers)
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Went 3-2 with a 6.40 ERA in 12 games (four starts) โฆ threw one complete game โฆ finished the summer with 19 strikeouts and 19 walks in 32.1 innings โฆ La Crosse compiled a 38-33 overall record โฆ competed alongside UCLA teammates Jake Hirabayashi and incoming catcher Gavin Johns.
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Nick Scheidler
Freshman โ LHP
West Coast League (Walla Walla Sweets)
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Went 2-1 with a 5.63 ERA in 15 games (three starts) โฆ totaled 20 strikeouts and 15 walks in 30.1 innings with Walla Walla โฆ helped his summer team finish with a 30-24 overall record โฆ played alongside Bruins' outfielder Jordan Myrow.
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Jarron Silva
Freshman โ Outfielder
West Coast League (Victoria HarbourCats)
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Batted .288 with three triples, three doubles, 13 RBI, 25 runs and 10 stolen bases in 44 games โฆ Victoria recorded a league-best 40-14 record in the summer โฆ played alongside incoming UCLA freshman Kyle Mora.
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Jack Stronach
Freshman โ Infielder
West Coast League (Kitsap BlueJackets)
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Batted .258 with 11 doubles, 14 RBI and 22 runs in 51 games โฆ drew 15 walks and had just 12 strikeouts โฆ Kitsap concluded its summer with a 15-39 overall record.
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Chase Strumpf
Freshman โ Infielder
West Coast League (Bellingham Bells)
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Batted .247 with six home runs, 11 doubles, 30 RBI and 20 runs in 45 games โฆ Bellingham compiled a 32-22 overall record in the West Coast League โฆ played alongside UCLA pitcher Jon Olsen.
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Michael Toglia
Freshman โ First Baseman/Outfielder
West Coast League (Wenatchee AppleSox)
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Batted .306 with a league-leading seven home runs and 40 RBI for Wenatchee โฆ was named the West Coast League's Most Valuable Player โฆ also recorded five triples, 10 doubles, 40 RBI, 27 runs and eight stolen bases in 10 attempts โฆ ranked as the No. 9 prospect in the West Coast League by Baseblal America โฆ Wenatchee posted a 19-35 overall record โฆ played alongside incoming freshmen Ryan Kreidler and Jeremy Ydens.
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Matt Walker
Redshirt Sophomore โ RHP
California Collegiate League (San Luis Obispo Blues)
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Went 3-2 with a 2.45 ERA in 11 appearances (nine starts) for San Luis Obispo โฆ recorded 48 strikeouts and eight walks in 55 innings โฆ was ranked the No. 9 prospect in the California Collegiate League by Baseball America โฆ San Luis Obispo closed its summer with a 24-20 overall record in the California Collegiate League.
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Jeremy Ydens
Freshman โ Outfielder
West Coast League (Wenatchee AppleSox)
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Batted .250 for Wenatchee in 10 games โฆ went 9-for-36 with one home run, three RBI and seven runs โฆ Wenatchee posted a 19-35 overall record โฆ played alongside incoming freshmen Ryan Kreidler and Michael Toglia.
