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Powell Picked by Washington in Third Round of MLB Draft

Baseball

UCLA closer was 2019 NCBWA Stopper of the Year, two-time All-American

LOS ANGELES -- Junior right-handed pitcher Holden Powell was selected in the third round, No. 94 overall, of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the Washington Nationals on Thursday to complete the 2020 UCLA MLB Draft Class presented by Top Chops.

A trio of UCLA commits – left-handed pitcher Kyle Harrison (De La Salle HS), outfielder Jake Vogel (Huntington Beach HS), and infielder Milan Tolentino (Santa Margarita HS) – were also selected on Thursday, bringing the program's two-day total to six selections. Junior outfielder Garrett Mitchell and commit Tyler Soderstrom (Turlock HS) were picked No. 20 and No. 26, respectively, in the first round on Wednesday.

Over the past 16 years under head coach John Savage, UCLA has had 107 MLB draftees including 41 inside the first 10 rounds. The 2020 iteration of the MLB Draft was shortened to five rounds due to COVID-19 considerations.

Powell was one of the top relief pitchers in the college game during his three years at UCLA, recording a 2.26 ERA and 26 saves over 77 career appearances. His save total ranks second in UCLA history, trailing only NCAA all-time leader David Berg (49). An effective strikeout artist, he totaled 107 Ks over 91 2/3 innings and finished his career with a 10.5 K/9 ratio, including a 13.1 mark over his final two seasons (85 strikeouts in 58 1/3 innings).

He was voted the NCBWA Stopper of the Year – an award handed out annually to college baseball's top reliever – in 2019, was a two-time All-American, and earned Freshman All-America honors in 2018.

The Visalia, Calif. native was off to a hot start in 2020 before the season was canceled, striking out 20 batters and allowing just three hits over 9 1/3 shutout innings of relief. That burst of dominance resulted in Second Team All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball.

Powell helped the Bruins to a record-setting season in 2019, as he pitched to a 1.84 ERA with 17 saves and 65 strikeouts in 49 innings as the team's closer. He was a unanimous All-America pick and became the second Bruin ever to take home the Stopper of the Year award (Berg). Powell put together two separate streaks of eight innings without allowing a hit and was dominant down the stretch for the Bruins, giving up just four earned runs over his final 28 appearances.

As a freshman in 2018, Powell posted a 2-1 record with a team-high six saves and a 3.51 ERA en route to Freshman All-America honors.

Stay tuned to @UCLABaseball on Twitter for all UCLA baseball updates.

UCLA Baseball's 2020 MLB Draftees

Name  Round Pick Organization
Garrett Mitchell, OF 1 20 Milwaukee Brewers
Tyler Soderstrom* 1 26 Oakland Athletics
Kyle Harrison* 3 85 San Francisco Giants
Holden Powell, RHP 3 94 Washington Nationals
Jake Vogel* 3 100 Los Angeles Dodgers
Milan Tolentino* 4 124 Cleveland Indians

*UCLA Commits