2025 Fall College Baseball Reset: UCLA

After a forgetful 19-33 campaign in 2024, things were considerably different for the UCLA Bruins in 2025. UCLA, filled with young talent that saw their first action in 2024, rattled off 48 wins and then went 5-0 in the first two postseason rounds to head to the College World Series. And heading into 2026, UCLA’s roster remains stacked.

The Returnees

Even though the Bruins couldn’t win the 2025 College World Series, UCLA accomplished a lot last season with a group that includes a core of returnees.

Headlining that group is Roch Cholowsky, the star infield prospect who hit .353 with 23 home runs last season as a sophomore. A member of the USA collegiate national team, Cholowsky is on the shortlist of players who could go #1 overall come July 2026. The 20-year-old has the complete package: power, hitting ability, and range and feel to play at short.

Aside from Cholowsky, the UCLA Bruins return all four of their leading hitters from 2025: not just the 20-year-old but also Dean West, Roman Martin, and Mulivai Levu.

West led the Bruins last season in walks (49), while Levu drove in a team-high 85 runs. That total ranked him second in the NCAA Division I in RBI, behind only Landen Johnson (High Point). The perks of batting alongside Cholowsky and West.

Martin, meanwhile, slashed .316/.450/.502 with nine home runs and 25 extra-base hits in 2025.

UCLA also got back several other notable hitters, including senior outfielder Jarrod Hocking, sophomore infielder Phoenix Call, and junior infielder Aidan Espinoza.

As for the pitching staff, the same names are mostly back.

Redshirt senior Ian May and Michael Barnett, two of the top arms on the 2025 UCLA Bruins, are back. Barnett doesn’t throw that hard but was very effective, as he struck out 75 over a team-high 86 frames. May, who worked both as a starter and reliever, struck out 47 over 70 innings.

Landon Stump, Easton Hawk, and Wylan Moss, the latter of whom struck out 49 over 48 as a freshman last year, are also back.

The Newcomers

Less than three years ago, Will Gasparino was a highly notable high school prospect from the Southern California high school scene. Now, heading into 2026, the Harvard-Westlake product is back home with the Bruins.

Gasparino was the headlining transfer addition for the Bruins this summer. The 20-year-old, who hit 25 home runs with the Texas Longhorns across two seasons in Austin, showed plenty of power. However, Gasparino didn’t bat higher than .252 in either of his two campaigns with Texas. Gasparino struck out a lot; just last season alone, he posted a 25.7% K%.

Moving on to the rest of their transfers, the Bruins plucked pitcher Logan Reddemann from the University of San Diego. The junior pitcher pitched very well in the Cape this past summer, as Reddemann notched 25 strikeouts over 22.1 IP with the Orleans Firebirds.

Aside from the transfers, the Bruins won big when Angel Cervantes did not sign with the Pittsburgh Pirates after he was drafted in the second round last July. Cervantes received rave reviews out of high school and was a showcase darling thanks to his heavy low-to-mid-90s fastball, sweeper, and changeup.

Other freshmen include freshman infielder Dominic Cadiz, a 15th-round pick by the Brewers in July, and fellow infielder Aiden Aguayo.

Cadiz had a big year in summer ball, as he slashed .354/.454/.628 with nine home runs and 23 extra-base hits with Walla Walla of the West Coast League.

Summary

Expectations will be very high for the UCLA baseball program in 2026.

After a couple of down seasons, the Bruins returned to the College World Series — and did so with a talented and young team. Even though the Bruins did lose some players, like now-Mets minor leaguer AJ Salgado, the core remains intact for at least one more year.

If things come together the right way, UCLA could make it back to Omaha, especially with a grizzled, experienced group like the one currently rostered.