25. UCLA

2008 RECORD. Overall: 33-27 (Advanced to NCAA regional). Conference: 13-11 / 3^rd in Pac-10.

Coach: John Savage (114-121, 5^th season; 202-205 overall in 7 seasons).

First Game, 2009: Feb. 20 vs. UC Davis.

 

OVERVIEW: With the loss of three of its top four hitters and No. 1 starter, UCLA will start three freshmen in its everyday lineup in 2009, along with a highly-acclaimed freshman as its Friday starter. These aren’t normal first-year players as RHP Gerrit Cole was an unsigned first-round draft pick of the New York Yankees last June, 3B Chris Amezquita was an Aflac All-American and SS Tyler Rahmatulla is a U.S. national junior-team veteran. Another promising freshman, RHP Trevor Bauer, is expected to play a prominent role on the pitching staff after deciding to forego his senior year of high school and enroll at UCLA at the semester break. The youngsters will have to grow up quickly as one prominent college baseball website lists UCLA as having the country’s most difficult schedule. Junior 1B Casey Hearther returns as one of the top sluggers on the West Coast, but comeback years from junior OF Gabe Cohen and senior DH Cody Decker—and a breakthrough year by supremely talented, but oft-injured LHP Gavin Brooks—could be the key to the Bruins season.

 

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP

C: Steve Rodriguez, Fr. (HS—Lomita, Calif.).

1B: Casey Haerther (3), Jr. (.324-*12-*52, 10 SB).

2B: Niko Gallego (1), So. (.317-0-4).

3B: Chris Amezquita, Fr. (HS—La Mirada, Calif.).

SS: Tyler Rahmatulla, Fr. (HS—Mission Viejo, Calif.).

LF: Justin Uribe, Jr. (.283-0-8).

CF: Blair Dunlap, Jr. (.250-2-16).

RF: Gabe Cohen (4), Jr. (.204-9-29).

DH: Cody Decker, Sr. (.218-7-30).

1/Starter: Gerrit Cole, Fr. (Yankees/1^st round).

2/Starter: Gavin Brooks, Jr. (6-3, 5.07, 71 IP/62 SO).

3/Starter: Charles Brewer, Jr. (*9-4, 5.10, 97 IP/69 SO).

Closer: Brendan Lafferty, Sr. (4-3, 3.74, 3 SV, 67 IP/56 SO).

 

BEST TOOLS

Best Athlete: Gavin Brooks.

Best Overall Hitter: Casey Haerther.

Best Power Hitter: CaseyHaerther.

Best Strike-Zone Discipline: Chris Amezquita.

Fastest Base Runner (60 time): Blair Dunlap (6.6 seconds).

Best Base Runner: Blair Dunlap.

Best Defender: Niko Gallego.

Best Infield Arm: Tyler Rahmatulla.

Best Outfield Arm: Raul Duran.

Best Fastball (velocity): Gerrit Cole (98 mph).

Best Breaking Ball: Rob Rasmussen.

Best Changeup: Brendan Lafferty.

Best Command: Charles Brewer.

 

TOP FRESHMAN PROSPECT: Gerrit Cole, rhp. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Cole, the top unsigned high-school pick in the 2008 draft, passed on a first-round opportunity from the Yankees to attend UCLA. He’s a pure power pitcher with a fastball that will top out in the high 90s regularly, along with a slider and changeup that show plus potential.

TOP SOPHOMORE PROSPECT: Rob Rasmussen, lhp. Rasmussen (0-2, 5.60) missed 10 weeks last spring after breaking a foot in his college debut, but came back with a strong showing in the summer in the Cape Cod League. He’s a four-pitch southpaw with a fastball that touches 91 mph and a nasty curveball. He’ll be the Bruins mid-week starter, at least to begin the 2009 season.

TOP JUNIOR PROSPECT: Casey Hearther, 1b. While many UCLA hitters struggled at the plate in 2008, Hearther blossomed, leading the team with 12 home runs and 52 RBIs, while hitting .324. As one of the best righthanded bats on the West Coast, Hearther could expand on those numbers in 2009 as he has an unusual combination of power and ability to hit for average.

TOP SENIOR PROSPECT: Brendan Lafferty, lhp. Lafferty, a red-shirt senior, has led the Bruins in appearances the last two seasons, so he is long on experience. In 33 games in 2008, Lafferty went 4-3, 3.74 with three saves. His three-pitch mix includes an upper-80s fastball, slider and changeup, and gives him more of a starter’s mix. He logged 67 innings out of the bullpen as a junior.

--DAVID RAWNSLEY