2022 Baseball Roster
Roster
Rajcic, Max
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Jersey Number 8
Max Rajcic
- Position:
- RHP
- Height:
- 6-0
- Weight:
- 210
- Class:
- Sophomore
- Hometown:
- Fullerton, Calif.
- High School:
- Orange Lutheran HS
Bio
Notes
Selected in the sixth round, No. 187 overall, of the 2022 MLB Draft by the St. Louis Cardinalsย ... Has logged a 10-6 record, 2.83 ERA, seven saves, .212 BAA, and 128 strikeouts over 117 2/3 innings during his Bruin career ... Burst onto the scene as UCLA's closer in 2021 (1.65 ERA, seven saves) before taking over as the Friday night starter in 2022 (8-5, 3.28 ERA).ย
Career Highlights
Two-time Pac-12 All-Conference Team (2021-22)
2022 ABCA All-West Region Second Team
2022 Preseason All-American
2021 Freshman All-American
Four-time UCLA Director's Honor Roll
2022
Made 15 appearances, all starts, as a sophomore ... Posted an 8-5 record with a 3.28 ERA and .223 BAA over 85 innings ... Had 92 strikeouts against 20 walks ... Picked up Pac-12 All-Conference and Second Team ABCA All-West Region honors after the season ... Finished the year with the following conference/national ranks: wins (3/47), WHIP (1.09; 3/59), ERA (4/105), strikeouts (4/86), starts (8/66), H/9 (7.7; 5/119), strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.6; 4/86) ... Won a pair of Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week awards, becoming the 10th Bruin in the modern era (since 1999) to accomplish that feat ... Started the year as the Saturday starter, ascended to the Friday night role by season's end ... Signature outing came on May 13 against Washington State, as he struck out a career-high 14 while pitching the first eight innings of a combined one-hitter ... In that WSU start, became the first Bruin coached by John Savage to have 14+ Ks in a game without issuing a walk ... His 14 strikeouts were tied for the most single-game Ks by a Bruin pitcher over the last decade ... Was named National Pitcher of the Week by the NCBWAย and Perfect Game after his gem vs. WSU ... Also named Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week after striking out 11 and taking a one-hitter into the ninth inning against Arizona State on Apr. 29 ... Over a seven-start stretch from Apr. 2 to May 13, he had a 59-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 48 1/3 innings ... Allowed three earned runs or fewer in 13 of 15 starts ... Struck out a batter-per-inning or better in 13 of 15 starts ... Issues no walks in five starts, including four of his final seven outings of the year ... Led the team in wins, innings pitched, and strikeouts ... Went 7-2 with a 2.90 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 62 innings during Pac-12 play ... Started UCLA's Auburn Regional opener vs. three-seed Florida State ... The team was 10-5 in his starts ... After topping out at five innings over his first six starts of the year, completed at least six innings in every outing the rest of the way ... Struck out 10 and logged a quality start in a win over Stanford on Apr. 15 ... Struck out eight and surrendered just two hits over six innings of one-run ball to lead UCLA to a win over then-No. 2 Oregon State on May 19 ...ย Before the season, was named to the Baseball America Preseason All-America Third Team ... Also tabbed to the Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List.ย ย
2021
Made 24 appearances in his true freshman season at UCLA, all out of the bullpen ... Took over the team's closer role, finishing with seven saves, a 2-1 record, and a 1.65 ERA over 32 2/3 innings ... Had 36 strikeouts compared to eight walks ... Named a First Team Freshman All-American by D1Baseball and Collegiate Baseball ... Tied a freshman program record for saves ... Limited opponents to a .185 batting average ... Led the team in saves and ERA ... Ranked fifth in the Pac-12 in saves ... In Pac-12 play, posted a 1.33 ERA and four saves over 15 appearances ... Missed the first month-plus of the season due to injury, didn't make his season debut until Mar. 23 ... Made his NCAA debut on Mar. 23 against Loyola Marymount, allowing a hit to the first batter he faced but bouncing back to get the next three hitters in order ... Didn't allow an earned run in 18 of 24 appearances (75%) ... Got more than three outs in 11 of his outings, including eight of his final 11 appearances of the year ... Struck out all five batters he faced, setting a season-high in Ks, against Cal on May 22 ... Went seven-up, seven-down to record the save in a 5-2 win over UC Santa Barbara on May 15 ... That outing against the Gauchos was a season-high in innings pitched ... Logged his first career save on Mar. 27 at USC, with the Trojans only getting one runner aboard off him (via an error) ... Didn't allow an earned run in six consecutive outings from Apr. 25 to May 9, and allowed an earned run just once over 12 outings from Apr. 25 to May 23 ... Struck out a batter per inning or better in 17 of 24 appearances ... Had a 1.08 ERA over 16 2/3 innings in May ... Made two appearances during the Lubbock Regional, striking out three and allowing one earned run over 3 2/3 innings ... Named to the UCLA Director's Honor Roll for fall, winter, and spring quarters (3.0+ quarter GPA, 12+ units passed) ... Over the summer, pitched for the Orleans Firebirds in the Cape Cod League ... Had a 4.32 ERA over seven appearances (all starts) ... Struck out 28 batters in 25 innings ... Didn't allow a run over his first three outings of the summer, a span of 10 1/3 innings ... Ranked the No. 21 prospect in the Cape by Baseball America.ย
High School
Competed at Orange Lutheran High School in Orange, Calif. ...ย In California, was ranked the No. 2 RHP and No. 16 overall prospect โฆ Listed as the No. 65 prospect in the nation by Prep Baseball Report โฆ First Team Preseason Underclass All-American in 2019 โฆ Was 7-0 with a 0.39 ERA as a junior for Orange Lutheran, striking out 69 batters in 54 innings โฆ Was on the USA Baseball 18U Team for the 2019 U18 World Cup, helping Team USA to a Silver Medal โฆ Had a 1.35 ERA and .174 BAA and 10 Ks over a team-high 13.1 innings pitched in the World Cup โฆ 2019 Perfect Game All-American โฆ Started the 2019 High School All-Star game at Progressive Field in Cleveland โฆ Played in the 2019 Under Armour All-American Classic at Wrigley Field โฆ Named to the All-CIF Southern Section Team โฆ Named the Orange County Pitcher of the Year by the O.C. Register โฆ Played in the Scott Boras Classic South tournament โฆ Helped Orange Lutheran to a Trinity League title in 2019 โฆ Had four double-digit strikeout games in his junior season (HS games are only seven innings).
Personal
Full name: Maxwel Scott Rajcic ... Birthday: Aug. 3 ... Last name is pronounced like "magic" ... Parents are Scott and Michelle Rajcic ... Has a younger brother, Mitch ... Plans on majoring in communication ... Chose to attend UCLA because of "how well Coach Savage develops his pitchers, and the academics are among the best in the nation" ... Models his game after UCLA alum Gerrit Cole ... Listens to Jason Aldean ... Roots for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Angels ... Favorite player is Mike Trout ... Hobbies include surfing, golfing, spikeball, and pickleball.
Career Highs (as of conclusion of 2022)
Innings: 8.1 vs. Arizona State (4/29/22)
Strikeouts: 14 vs. Washington State (5/13/22)
Selected in the sixth round, No. 187 overall, of the 2022 MLB Draft by the St. Louis Cardinalsย ... Has logged a 10-6 record, 2.83 ERA, seven saves, .212 BAA, and 128 strikeouts over 117 2/3 innings during his Bruin career ... Burst onto the scene as UCLA's closer in 2021 (1.65 ERA, seven saves) before taking over as the Friday night starter in 2022 (8-5, 3.28 ERA).ย
Career Highlights
Two-time Pac-12 All-Conference Team (2021-22)
2022 ABCA All-West Region Second Team
2022 Preseason All-American
2021 Freshman All-American
Four-time UCLA Director's Honor Roll
2022
Made 15 appearances, all starts, as a sophomore ... Posted an 8-5 record with a 3.28 ERA and .223 BAA over 85 innings ... Had 92 strikeouts against 20 walks ... Picked up Pac-12 All-Conference and Second Team ABCA All-West Region honors after the season ... Finished the year with the following conference/national ranks: wins (3/47), WHIP (1.09; 3/59), ERA (4/105), strikeouts (4/86), starts (8/66), H/9 (7.7; 5/119), strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.6; 4/86) ... Won a pair of Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week awards, becoming the 10th Bruin in the modern era (since 1999) to accomplish that feat ... Started the year as the Saturday starter, ascended to the Friday night role by season's end ... Signature outing came on May 13 against Washington State, as he struck out a career-high 14 while pitching the first eight innings of a combined one-hitter ... In that WSU start, became the first Bruin coached by John Savage to have 14+ Ks in a game without issuing a walk ... His 14 strikeouts were tied for the most single-game Ks by a Bruin pitcher over the last decade ... Was named National Pitcher of the Week by the NCBWAย and Perfect Game after his gem vs. WSU ... Also named Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week after striking out 11 and taking a one-hitter into the ninth inning against Arizona State on Apr. 29 ... Over a seven-start stretch from Apr. 2 to May 13, he had a 59-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 48 1/3 innings ... Allowed three earned runs or fewer in 13 of 15 starts ... Struck out a batter-per-inning or better in 13 of 15 starts ... Issues no walks in five starts, including four of his final seven outings of the year ... Led the team in wins, innings pitched, and strikeouts ... Went 7-2 with a 2.90 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 62 innings during Pac-12 play ... Started UCLA's Auburn Regional opener vs. three-seed Florida State ... The team was 10-5 in his starts ... After topping out at five innings over his first six starts of the year, completed at least six innings in every outing the rest of the way ... Struck out 10 and logged a quality start in a win over Stanford on Apr. 15 ... Struck out eight and surrendered just two hits over six innings of one-run ball to lead UCLA to a win over then-No. 2 Oregon State on May 19 ...ย Before the season, was named to the Baseball America Preseason All-America Third Team ... Also tabbed to the Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List.ย ย
2021
Made 24 appearances in his true freshman season at UCLA, all out of the bullpen ... Took over the team's closer role, finishing with seven saves, a 2-1 record, and a 1.65 ERA over 32 2/3 innings ... Had 36 strikeouts compared to eight walks ... Named a First Team Freshman All-American by D1Baseball and Collegiate Baseball ... Tied a freshman program record for saves ... Limited opponents to a .185 batting average ... Led the team in saves and ERA ... Ranked fifth in the Pac-12 in saves ... In Pac-12 play, posted a 1.33 ERA and four saves over 15 appearances ... Missed the first month-plus of the season due to injury, didn't make his season debut until Mar. 23 ... Made his NCAA debut on Mar. 23 against Loyola Marymount, allowing a hit to the first batter he faced but bouncing back to get the next three hitters in order ... Didn't allow an earned run in 18 of 24 appearances (75%) ... Got more than three outs in 11 of his outings, including eight of his final 11 appearances of the year ... Struck out all five batters he faced, setting a season-high in Ks, against Cal on May 22 ... Went seven-up, seven-down to record the save in a 5-2 win over UC Santa Barbara on May 15 ... That outing against the Gauchos was a season-high in innings pitched ... Logged his first career save on Mar. 27 at USC, with the Trojans only getting one runner aboard off him (via an error) ... Didn't allow an earned run in six consecutive outings from Apr. 25 to May 9, and allowed an earned run just once over 12 outings from Apr. 25 to May 23 ... Struck out a batter per inning or better in 17 of 24 appearances ... Had a 1.08 ERA over 16 2/3 innings in May ... Made two appearances during the Lubbock Regional, striking out three and allowing one earned run over 3 2/3 innings ... Named to the UCLA Director's Honor Roll for fall, winter, and spring quarters (3.0+ quarter GPA, 12+ units passed) ... Over the summer, pitched for the Orleans Firebirds in the Cape Cod League ... Had a 4.32 ERA over seven appearances (all starts) ... Struck out 28 batters in 25 innings ... Didn't allow a run over his first three outings of the summer, a span of 10 1/3 innings ... Ranked the No. 21 prospect in the Cape by Baseball America.ย
High School
Competed at Orange Lutheran High School in Orange, Calif. ...ย In California, was ranked the No. 2 RHP and No. 16 overall prospect โฆ Listed as the No. 65 prospect in the nation by Prep Baseball Report โฆ First Team Preseason Underclass All-American in 2019 โฆ Was 7-0 with a 0.39 ERA as a junior for Orange Lutheran, striking out 69 batters in 54 innings โฆ Was on the USA Baseball 18U Team for the 2019 U18 World Cup, helping Team USA to a Silver Medal โฆ Had a 1.35 ERA and .174 BAA and 10 Ks over a team-high 13.1 innings pitched in the World Cup โฆ 2019 Perfect Game All-American โฆ Started the 2019 High School All-Star game at Progressive Field in Cleveland โฆ Played in the 2019 Under Armour All-American Classic at Wrigley Field โฆ Named to the All-CIF Southern Section Team โฆ Named the Orange County Pitcher of the Year by the O.C. Register โฆ Played in the Scott Boras Classic South tournament โฆ Helped Orange Lutheran to a Trinity League title in 2019 โฆ Had four double-digit strikeout games in his junior season (HS games are only seven innings).
Personal
Full name: Maxwel Scott Rajcic ... Birthday: Aug. 3 ... Last name is pronounced like "magic" ... Parents are Scott and Michelle Rajcic ... Has a younger brother, Mitch ... Plans on majoring in communication ... Chose to attend UCLA because of "how well Coach Savage develops his pitchers, and the academics are among the best in the nation" ... Models his game after UCLA alum Gerrit Cole ... Listens to Jason Aldean ... Roots for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Angels ... Favorite player is Mike Trout ... Hobbies include surfing, golfing, spikeball, and pickleball.
Career Highs (as of conclusion of 2022)
Innings: 8.1 vs. Arizona State (4/29/22)
Strikeouts: 14 vs. Washington State (5/13/22)
UCLA Baseball Postgame - Coach Savage & Players vs. LSU (June 17, 2025)
Tuesday, June 17
UCLA Baseball Postgame - Coach Savage & Players vs. Arkansas (June 17, 2025)
Tuesday, June 17
UCLA Baseball Postgame - Coach Savage & Players vs. Murray State (June 14, 2025)
Saturday, June 14
Highlights - UCLA Baseball vs. Murray State (June 14, 2025)
Saturday, June 14
