Baseball
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
Rex Peters completed his 10th season as an assistant coach for the Bruins in 2021. Peters serves as the Bruinsโ hitting and outfield coach and plays a central role in the programโs recruiting efforts.
During Petersโ 10 seasons with the Bruins, UCLA has gone 375-193-1, twice advancing to the College World Series (2012, 2013) and winning the programโs first-ever NCAA title in 2013. During the Bruinsโ postseason run in 2013, UCLAโs hitters routinely came up with timely hits, lifting UCLA to a perfect 10-0 record en route to the championship. Outfielder Eric Filia enjoyed the greatest success in the 2013 postseason, batting .444 to lead the Bruins.
In his tenure, UCLA has had 35ย position players selected in the MLB Draft, including 17ย of those players within the draftโs first 10 rounds. Most recently, shortstop Matt McLain was the No. 17 overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft by Cincinnati. Outfielder Garrett Mitchell was selected No. 20 overall by Milwaukee in the shortened 2020 MLB Draft, giving the Bruinsย first round position player draftees in consecutive years for the first time ever.ย The Bruins had a quartet of position players taken in the first 10 rounds in 2019, including Michael Toglia (23rd overall, Colorado) who became UCLA's first position player to be picked in the first round since Chase Utley in 2000. Chase Strumpf (second round, Chicago Cubs) was also a day one selection, while Ryan Kreidler (fourth round, Detroit) and Jeremy Ydens (eighth round, Washington) went on day two.ย
Outfielder Daniel Amaral was taken in the 14th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2018 after having a career season batting .289 with 51 runs and 38 RBIs with 14 stolen bases. In 2017, infielder Sean Bouchard was a ninth round pick to the Colorado Rockies after ranking in the top-10 in the Pac-12 conference in home runs, slugging percentage, doubles, RBIs. In 2016, four UCLA position players were selected on day three led by Luke Persicoย in the 12th round. Infielder Kevin Kramer was a second round selection of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2015 draft after hitting .323 with a team-high 82 hits and 55 runs. Infielder-converted-catcher Shane Zeile was a fifth round selection of the Detroit Tigers in the 2014 draft after leading the Bruins with a .324 batting average and a team-best .401 on-base percentage. In 2012, outfielder Jeff Gelalich was chosen 57th overall (Cincinnati Reds).ย
UCLA went 37-20 as a team in 2021, reaching the postseason for the fourth consecutive time and finishing the season ranked No. 24 in the country.ย
UCLA was off to a hot start in 2020 before the abrupt cancellation of the season due to COVID-19, winning 11 straight games out of the gate en route to a 13-2 final record. The offense was a key part of that, as eight Bruin regulars were hitting over .300 at season's end while the team's .308 batting average ranked No. 20 in the country.ย
The Bruins had an outstanding year with the bats in 2019, a key factor in the team's record-setting year. UCLA ranked inside the top-25 nationwide in triples (program-record 31, third), slugging (.468, 22nd), and hits (611, 25th). UCLA's power numbers saw a big spike, as the team's 67 home runs were the most for the program since 2003 and the team's slugging percentage was the best since 1999. Key contributors included sophomore outfielder Garrett Mitchell (.349/.418/.566, 12 triples), junior first baseman Michael Toglia (.314/.392/.624, 17 home runs), and junior infielder Ryan Kreidler (.300/.370/.502, 45 RBIs). Six of UCLA's nine starting position players earned All-Pac-12 consideration. The Bruins eventuallyย set a program-record in wins with a 52-11 record, spent 12 consecutive weeks atop the national rankings, won all 14 regular season series for the first time in program history, claimed the 2019 Pac-12 title, and earned the No. 1 national seed in the NCAA Tournament.ย
In 2018, UCLA had one of its best offensive seasons in recent years. UCLA hit .286 as a team, the highest since 2012, while scoring over 400 runs and recording over 370 RBIs for the first time since 2010. The Bruins saw their power numbers go up as they slugged .429 on the season with 129 doubles, the highest numbers in four years. UCLA also raised its on-base percentage as well by drawing almost 300 walks, the most since 2000. Overall, UCLA ranked top-25 in the country in doubles, on-base percentage and runs. The Bruins also scored in bunches as they scored five or more runs in an inning 20 times,the most by a UCLA offense since 2013 when the Bruins recorded 11 in 66 games. Chase Strumpfย became the first UCLA position player since Kevin Kramer in 2015 to earn All-America honors ranking top-10 in the Pac-12 in 10 offensive categories. UCLA had three position players earn All-Pac-12 honors in Strumpf, Michael Toglia and Jeremy Ydens. Strumpf and Toglia became the first UCLA teammates since 2007 to hit double-digit home runs in a season. They are also just the fourth and fifth UCLA players since 2001 with 50-RBIs and 10 home runs in the same year, while also the first teammate to each drive in 50 runs since 2008. Ydens led the conference during Pac-12 play hitting .406 and also finished second in slugging at .693 and sixth in on-base percentage at .461. The UCLA offense was one of the best in the conference during Pac-12 play. In conference games, the Bruins were top-3 in batting average (.294), on-base percentage (.392), runs scored (210), RBIs (193), doubles (55) and walks (138). UCLA scored seven runs a game and averaged just under 10 hits against Pac-12 opponents. In addition, Peters helped Daniel Amaral earn Pac-12 All-Defensive Team honors as one of the best defensive outfielders in the conference.
In 2017, Peters helped the UCLA offense become one of the best in the Pac-12. During conference play, the Bruins were tops in home runs (25) and RBIs (174), while also top-3 in slugging percentage and runs scored. In addition, Peters helped Kyle Cuellar and Michael Toglia earn Freshman All-America honors and Sean Bouchard was named an All-Pac-12 selection.
In 2015, Peters led the UCLA offense to an extremely productive season which saw the team hit .284 with a conference-high 130 doubles. The Bruins ranked within the top-three in on-base percentage, runs, hits, RBI, doubles, total bases and walks among Pac-12 teams. Ty Moore and Kevin Kramer led the charge, hitting .342 and .323 respectively. Additionally, UCLA hitters claimed Pac-12 Player of the Week four times last season.
In Petersโ first season with the Bruins (2012), UCLAโs team batting average jumped 41 points from the previous year. Not only did UCLA earn its second consecutive Pac-12 title, but the Bruins hosted the NCAA Los Angeles Regional for the third straight season and advanced to the College World Series for the second time in three years. UCLAโs batters also recorded the fewest strikeouts and strikeouts per game since 1986. Outfielder Beau Amaral, a seventh-round draft pick by the Cincinnati Reds in 2012, was named to the Division I Rawlings Gold Glove Team.
Prior to coaching at UCLA, Peters spent nine years as the head coach of UC Davis. He guided UC Davis through multiple transitions as the programโs head coach from 2003-2011, helping the Aggies ascend from NCAA Division II status to Division I beginning in 2004. In addition, UC Davis joined the Big West Conference in 2008, earning its first-ever berth as a Division I program in the NCAA Tournament that spring.
In nine seasons at the helm of the UC Davis baseball program, Peters helped produce 21 MLB draft selections. Most notably, third baseman Daniel Descalso was selected in the third round of the 2007 MLB draft by the St. Louis Cardinals and made his major league debut with the organization in 2010. In addition, seven UC Davis ballplayers earned ABCA or NCBWA All-Region honors during Petersโ nine-year tenure as head coach.
UC Davis compiled a 35-24 record in 2008, winning its first of three games at the NCAA Stanford Regional. The Aggies registered three series sweeps that season and three victories against area-rival Stanford. A school-record seven players were selected in the June 2008 MLB Draft.
In his second season as head coach at UC Davis (2004), Peters helped the Aggies post a 37-15-1 record, including a 32-7 mark in the programโs final year with the California Collegiate Athletic Association. While no longer eligible for postseason play as part of its transition to Division I status, UC Davis finished atop the conference standings by better than a seven-game margin. Along the way, the Aggies enjoyed school-record streaks of 16 straight victories and 20 consecutive conference wins.
In 2003, Peters guided the Aggies to a 36-24 record and their first NCAA Division II postseason berth since 1995. UC Davis swept through the West Region tournament, highlighted by back-to-back shutout victories, and advanced to the national tournament for only the second time in school history. For his part, Peters was honored as the ABCA/Diamond Sports West Region Coach of the Year.
Peters arrived at UC Davis after spending the previous nine seasons as head coach at Chapman University (Orange, Calif.), where he compiled a 248-131-2 overall record. He led the Panthers to three appearances in the NCAA Division III College World Series, including a third-place finish in 2000.
Peters set program records as a head coach for most wins and highest winning percentage, having led the Panthers to the NCAA West Regional five times. He was named West Region Coach of the Year on three occasions. Additionally, Peters coached six All-America selections, two Academic All-Americans, nine Academic All-District players and 29 All-Region honorees.
Between his nine years at UC Davis and nine seasons at Chapman, Peters collected a 482-396-3 (.549) career record as a head coach. He secured his 400th career victory as a head coach on March 15, 2008, in UC Davisโ doubleheader sweep of Santa Clara.
Prior to his 18 years as a head coach, Peters served one season as an assistant coach at Chapman under head coach Gary Henderson. He spent the previous four years playing in the Los Angeles Dodgersโ organization after being drafted by the club in the 24th round of the 1989 MLB Draft. In the minors, he advanced as high as double-A San Antonio. In 1989, his first season in professional baseball, he was named the MVP for the Salem Dodgers.
Peters graduated from Cal State Fullerton in 1989 with his bachelorโs degree in physical education. He was an honorable mention All-America selection for the Titans, helping lead them to a third-place finish at the 1988 College World Series. Peters earned his masterโs degree in education with an emphasis in physical education from Azusa Pacific in 1994.
Peters and his wife, Deborah, have six children and reside in Culver City, Calif., with his son, Jake.
