Rounding Up UCLA' s Preseason Baseball Awards, Honors

Stacked Infield

The UCLA infield has been a highlight of the offseason. Junior shortstop Roch Cholowsky is the consensus No. 1 prospect for the 2026 MLB Draft entering the college baseball season, and the accolades he keeps adding further support the argument. Cholowsky has been named Preseason Player of the Year by Baseball America, D1Baseball.com, and several other outlets. He's also on the watch list for the Golden Spikes Award as the top player in the country, a unanimous Preseason All-American, and the clear No. 1-ranked shortstop in the Big Ten and in the country.

But that's just where the impact of the infielders begins. UCLA has four infielders ranked among the best at their positions in the Big Ten and the top 50 nationally. First baseman Mulivai Levu is the No. 1 first baseman in the conference and the No. 3 first baseman in the country, joining Chlowsky on the Golden Spikes watch list and as a top-tier MLB prospect. Third baseman Roman Martin is the top player at the hot corner in the Big Ten and the No. 3 third baseman overall. Catcher Cashel Dugger ranks second in the Big Ten and 33rd among catchers nationally.

Levu and Martin are also top MLB prospects and Preseason All-Americans. UCLA is one of six schools tied for the most Preseason All-Americans with three honorees.

Don't Forget the Outfield

All three outfielders for UCLA are among the top seven in the Big Ten and the top 123 nationally. Lead-off hitter Dean West leads the group as the top outfielder in the Big Ten and No. 39 outfielder in the country. He was a key player last season, making 65 starts, setting a program record for hit-by-pitches, and hitting .320 with 13 steals, 76 runs scored, and 41 RBIs.

West edged out Maryland's Brayden Martin for the conference's top spot. Texas transfer and defensive star Will Gasparino (No. 4 in the Big Ten and No. 73 nationally) and redshirt junior Payton Brennan (No. 7 in the Big Ten and No. 123 nationally) join him on the list.

Loaded Pitching Staff

The Bruins have also had several starting and relief pitchers recognized throughout the offseason. The Bruins boast three of D1Baseball's top 100 relief pitchers in the nation in Easton Hawk (No.7), Waylan Moss (No. 13), and Jack O'Connor (No. 53), as weell as two of the top starting pitchers in the country in Logan Reddeman (No. 1 in the Big Ten and No. 19 nationally) and freshman Angel Cervantes (No. 5 in the Big Ten and No.72 overall).

Junior reliever Cal Randall was also picked as UCLA's "sleeper" MLB prospect by Baseball America

Freshman Spotlight

Cervantes and infielder Dominic Cadiz were named to the Baseball America Preseason Freshman of the Year watch list this week. Cervantes was the No. 2 right-handed pitching prospect in the country and the No. 5 player in California, drafted No. 50 overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2025 MLB Draft. Cadiz was one of the country's top third basemen and was drafted in the 15th round of the MLB Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers.

Third base is clearly occupied, so it will be interesting to see what kind of role Cadiz has this season. Regardless, adding two impact freshmen and additional MLB prospects makes this roster even stronger.

MLB Futures

Speaking of MLB prospects, this Bruins roster is full of them. We've mentioned Cholowksy as the crowned jewel of the 2026 Draft class, but UCLA has four of the Big Ten's top-five MLB prospects for 2026 - with Reddemann (No.3), Levu (No. 4), and Martin (No.5) rounding out the list.

It doesn't stop there. Hawk and Moss are also considered the conference's top two prospects for the 2027 Draft, and that's before the 2026 season even starts.

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