Berg Promoted to Director of Baseball Operations
October 02, 2019 | Baseball
LOS ANGELES – After serving one year as an undergrad assistant coach for the UCLA baseball team, former star reliever David Berg has been promoted to the program's Director of Baseball Operations.
"David has meant so much to our program in so many ways, both on and off the field," said UCLA head coach John Savage. "He left a legacy here as a pitcher in our program that will be tough to match. He did a great job last year as an undergraduate assistant and we are looking forward to his contributions as the new Director of Baseball Operations."
With Berg assisting head coach John Savage, the UCLA pitching staff had a historically productive campaign in 2019. The Bruins led the country in ERA at 2.60, the only squad in the country to finish under the 3.00 mark.
UCLA would go on to set a program record in wins at 52-11, spend 12 consecutive weeks atop the national rankings, claim the Pac-12 title, and earn the No. 1 national seed in the NCAA Tournament. Under Berg's tutelage, sophomore closer Holden Powell recorded 17 saves and a 1.84 ERA en route to NCBWA Stopper of the Year and consensus All-America honors. As a unit, the UCLA bullpen logged a miniscule 2.12 ERA, going without allowing an earned run in 33 of the team's 63 games.
As a student-athlete at UCLA, Berg put together arguably the greatest collegiate career by a relief pitching in NCAA history.
Berg finished his four-year college career as the NCAA record-holder in career appearances (175) and single-season saves (24, 2013). He holds UCLA school records in career appearances, saves (49), and ERA (1.11). He has four of the top-10 single-season ERAs in school history, including the No. 1 mark of 0.68 set in 2015. The right-hander was twice named Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year and NCBWA Stopper of the Year (2013, 2015), and he is the only Bruin ever to be named All-Pac-12 four times. He was the first reliever ever to earn Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year honors and remains the only pitcher to win Stopper of the Year more than once.
The Covina, Calif. native was the closer on the 2013 National Championship team, appearing in all 10 of UCLA's postseason games, recording six saves and crafting a 1.93 ERA. He was on the mound for the final out of the NCAA Championship Game, finishing off a 3-1 putout to clinch the title against Mississippi State on Jun. 25, 2013. In addition, he combined with James Kaprielian to throw the first no-hitter in UCLA history on May, 15, 2015.
A sixth round selection by the Chicago Cubs in the 2015 MLB Draft, Berg recorded a 4.63 career ERA in three minor league seasons. He posted a 1.40 ERA over 18 appearances in his first professional season. He reached Triple-A during the 2017 season, recording a 0.90 ERA over seven games for the Iowa Cubs.
