UCLA: College Baseball's Three-Year Bond

Los Angeles — As the Bruins faced elimination in the College World Series in June, the run led by an outstanding sophomore class, turning a 19-33 2024 into an Omaha berth in 2025, onlookers anticipated emotion as UCLA’s dream of a dogpile drifted away. Emotion they witnessed, though likely not of the variety fans, media, or anyone outside of Head Coach John Savage’s walls may have anticipated. As out #27 approached, with the Bruins trailing late against Arkansas, the talented visitors from Hollywood donned smiles, mimicking the joy of being in Omaha rather than the sadness of faltering in it.

For many, the positivity in defeat represented what helped many fall in love with baseball, particularly at the collegiate level. In the age of NIL, an accessible transfer portal, and general theatrics of college sports, passion and cohesiveness aren’t a given. When asked about the unexpected mood amongst his teammates, Bruin superstar Roch Cholowsky stated it simply. “It just goes to show you how special of a group that we have and how tight the bond was. It was a special year.”

The mentality and maturity of his group wasn’t lost on Savage. “Going out the way we did, nobody was happy in terms of how that ended. But at the same time, just in terms of what they accomplished as a group, I think they just felt like almost staying out on the field.” Savage continued, “I haven't seen that either. That was a pretty special moment for a bunch of young people to get together on the same team, enjoy this unbelievable place.”

Following that special year in 2025, as identified by Cholowsky, the Bruins knew the anticipation and buildup ahead of 2026 would look a little different. After all, the Bruins would return seven offensive starters from their season finale against the Razorbacks, with a stable of arms to boot.

Anticipation, pomp, as well as circumstance found its way to Westwood as anticipated, rearing its head when the Bruins found themselves ranked #1 to begin the 2026 campaign. Savage knew what high rankings alongside the projection of his players, led by Cholowsky, meant, but he didn’t balk. “You have a bullseye on your back and people want to come and get you, and that’s not going to change.”

As for the star of the Bruin club with walk-of-fame expectations, Cholowsky remains grounded through the process. Savage has seen plenty of MLB Draft prospects and headline-stealing juniors in his 21 seasons at the helm at UCLA; he knows the risk that comes with attention. “They’ve been told how good they are and where they are going to go and projected this and projected that. Even today with social media, it’s escalated.”

Cholowsky has proven to zig when maybe others have zagged in response to preseason praise and accolades, at least in the eyes of his head coach. “He’s not putting any pressure on himself, he’s just playing his ass off. You’ve got to tip your hat to a guy like that.”

The UCLA shortstop is quick to identify his teammates as not only supportive in ignoring the buzz, but catalysts for success. “It’s easy with the guys around me, you know our main goal is win games. I’m really focused on that. The outside stuff doesn't really affect me mentally. We also got 11-12 other guys who are in the same spot as me, it’s their draft year and they’re very talented baseball players, so being able to share that with a lot of guys helps too.” Savage will be quick to tell fans, media, and anyone who takes an interest in the 2026 Bruins, as well — it’s not just Roch.

Savage and Cholowsky recognize the value and star power of the prospects surrounding Roch in the loaded Bruin lineup. Returning from last year’s club, Mulivai Levu, Roman Martin, Dean West, Cashel Duggar, and Payton Brennan each steal the thunder and enhance the lightning of the projected #1 overall pick, Cholowsky.

Levu has injected the strongest presence in the UCLA lineup, at least offensively, hitting over .500 through the team’s first six contests. Roman and West yielded quality production against a talent-heavy TCU club, as Savage praised each for their timely base hits and, in West’s case, his ability to hit the ball up the middle.

West admits he was able to play more free and more “himself” against TCU after a slower start to the 2026 campaign. “I just tried to slow everything down, get back to who I am and just get on base and get some runs up for my guys.”

With West’s freedom and productive at-bats from the slew of stat stuffers in the Bruin lineup, UCLA poses one of the most complete lineups in the country. Consistency 1-9 wasn’t a given headed into 2026, however, as Coach Savage identifies Texas defect Will Gasparino as not just a quality transfer, but the right transfer for this team.

“You better get the right guy, you better get the right people,” Savage said of attacking the portal to compliment a team primed for a great season. “Being around Roch and Phoenix (Call) and Roman, they’re just wonderful guys and they’re winning players.”

With Gasparino, Savage welcomed a “true centerfielder, with power who can defend,” and Savage praises the defensive ability of this club that may get lost alongside its offensive prowess. Through seven games, the Bruin defense hasn’t made an error. While Savage is quick to attribute “fundamentals” when explaining the quality of defense being played at Jackie Robinson Stadium, defense isn’t an accident at UCLA either. “Roch demands defense, (Levu) is a gold glove winner, Roman’s a very good defensive player, Aguaio is a very good defensive player… they take a lot of pride in their defense and it changes everything.”

Savage shares he’s always stressed pitching and defense, “and that’s what this program has always been about for the most part for over 20 years.” UCLA’s head man looks at some other programs — who he won’t mention — that “practice their swings on defense… those are the teams you want to play.”

With quality defense generally comes reliable pitching. The Bruins have reliability and more on the mound in compliment of their superlative-heavy lineup. Joining Gasparino in being “right” for the Omaha-pedigree club, Savage gives the ball to San Diego transfer Logan Reddemann on Friday nights. The right-hander was the 2024 WCC Freshman of the Year and earned First-Team All-Conference honors as a sophomore. Reddemann recorded ten strikeouts against TCU’s vaunted lineup on Friday. His head coach describes the 6’2 junior as “a bulldog” with a tremendous pitch mix, with a fastball that sits at 95 mph, a curveball, slider, and effective changeup.

Reddemann, having faced TCU with San Diego last season, found familiarity in the opponent despite the ranking next to their name. The Bruin ace admitted he used his eight-strikeout performance in 2025 to prepare for the familiar Horned Frogs, who return a majority of their lineup from a season ago.

The Bruin pitching staff also benefited from the stable tandem of Michael Barnett and Wylan Moss on Saturday, notching the series victory over the Horned Frogs. Moss was given the opportunity to either start on Tuesday or pitch on the weekend and elected for the latter.

Moss, a former starter and now bullpen stalwart in lockstep with Barnett, has embraced his new role, feeling it helps the team reach their full potential. On Saturday, Moss didn’t just embrace the role, but excelled in it. In four innings of relief, the 6’3 sophomore struck out ten TCU hitters, including the final nine he faced to cap the contest.

Savage admits the team isn’t perfect, and he’ll be quick to remind listeners, even with a #1 ranking next to UCLA, he doesn’t pay attention to the polls and won’t go out of his way to praise his team beyond blemish. He feels the rotation has room to grow, particularly later in the weekend. The Bruins have options, though, in Moss and in freshman Angel Cervantes, who’s made two appearances and will record his second start against San Diego State on Tuesday. Savage sees the opportunity for the freshman from Lynnwood, CA to potentially earn a spot in the rotation if things continue to click for the highly touted talent.

Cervantes is far from the only California kid on the roster, and that fact is part of what helps this team gel. It’s what helped Gasparino gel in his first month of organized baseball with his new team. “I’ve been playing with these kids since I was 8 years old,” the former Longhorn said. “They were all my best friends growing up because we all lived in California.”

All but seven players on the 2026 roster hail from the state of California, whether they began their careers at UCLA or not. Regardless, Savage sees the joy this should bring the LA community — a city he recognizes as one that generally favors professional teams, but one that should take the next step in supporting college baseball’s best in their own backyard. After all, the Bruins aren’t a group of paid-for, here today and gone the next players. They’re homegrown; the community has known his players since long before they set foot on campus at UCLA, and he pleads with the people of Los Angeles to support this team before they’re playing professionally.

Savage implies this is the year for the Bruins, though he recognizes teams don’t go to Omaha after two weeks; this team will have to continue to earn it. Of the bond in his locker room, the tenured Bruin sees the cohesion, even with a few new faces. “This isn’t a two-month bond, this is a three-year bond.”

Bond aside, the Bruins will have to win away from Jackie Robinson Stadium to live up to the expectations they set and those they can’t control. Next week in Arlington, or “Globe,” as Savage endearingly calls the home of the Texas Rangers, the Bruins will have three opportunities to win away from home and against three teams from the Southeastern Conference.

In Arlington, away from where UCLA has made their hay so far in 2026, the Bruins will get another early measuring stick. It won’t define them — Savage would be the first to say that — but it will reveal more about a club that believes its bond is bigger than hype and its identity stronger than circumstance. The smiles in Omaha last summer weren’t accidental. Neither is the edge this group carries into 2026. If this is the year, as Savage implies, it won’t be because of a preseason #1 next to their name. It will be because of a homegrown group of guys who love playing together more than they love playing against each other.