Five Bruins Included in D1Baseball's Top Prospects List
September 20, 2018 | Baseball
LOS ANGELES โ Five members of the UCLA baseball team were included in D1Baseball's Top-150 college prospects list for the 2019 draft, it was revealed by the outlet on Thursday.
With five picks in the top-150, UCLA ranks third in the entire country behind only Louisville and Vanderbilt. In addition, the Bruins had three players inside the top-50, one of just two programs nationwide able to boast that fact.
2018 All-American second baseman Chase Strumpf was the Bruins' top pick at No. 24, while first baseman Michael Toglia (No. 32) and right-handed pitcher Ryan Garcia (No. 42) joined Strumpf in the top-50. Outfielder Jeremy Ydens (No. 111) and infielder Ryan Kreidler (No. 135) rounded out the Bruin contingent. All will be juniors this upcoming season.
In his sophomore campaign, Strumpf led the team with a .363 batting average and 12 home runs, leading to a Dick Howser Trophy nomination. He was selected to the prestigious U.S. Collegiate National Team over the summer, but was forced to sit out due to injury. In addition to being named the No. 24 overall collegiate prospect in next year's draft class, he was also tabbed as the No. 15 hitter in the class by D1.
Toglia batted .336 in his sophomore campaign with 11 roundtrippers and a team-high 58 RBIs. He was voted the team MVP of the Cotuit Kettleers this summer after clubbing eight home runs in the regular season before compiling a .429 average in the playoffs. He was listed as the No. 20 collegiate hitter in next year's draft class.
The lone Bruin pitcher to be selected, Garcia is coming off a sophomore season that saw him go 8-1 with a 2.23 ERA while striking out just under a batter per inning (76 in 76 2/3 innings). He kept it rolling this summer in the Cape, helping the Wareham Gatemen to the League Championship with 4-2 record and 1.88 ERA. The Sierra Madre, Calif. native was listed as the No. 19 collegiate pitching prospect in his class.
Ydens had a healthy .350/.421/.558 slugging percentage last year with the Bruins, leading to All-Pac-12 honors. He was the starting fielder for the Cape Cod Champion Wareham Gatemen over the summer.
Kreidler started 50 games for the Bruins last season, batting .222 and driving in 34 runs.
Stay up-to-date on all things UCLA Baseball by following the team Twitter account: @UCLABaseball.
