The Pac-12 baseball coaches picked UCLA as the top team in the conference in a preseason poll released Monday. The Bruins edged the second-place Oregon Ducks by 12 points in the poll. UCLA is also the highest-ranked Pac-12 team in the USA Today Coaches’ Preseason Poll, as the Bruins begin the year ranked No. 9 in the nation.
UCLA enters the 2015 season with Baseball America’s No. 7 recruiting class in the nation, as well as a couple of key players returning from injury. Most notably, the Bruins bring back redshirt junior shortstop Kevin Kramer, who was projected to be one of UCLA’s top hitters last year, but had to redshirt the season due to a shoulder injury. Kramer’s return could be key to invigorating a UCLA offense that finished tied for No. 256 in the nation in runs scored last year.
On the hill, UCLA returns the leader of a rotation that finished in the top 20 nationally in strikeout-to-walk ratio as well as WHIP last season. Junior pitcher James Kaprielian comes back as UCLA’s No. 1 starter after leading the Pac-12 in strikeouts a year ago.
Complementing Kaprielian’s veteran presence in the bullpen will be senior pitcher David Berg, who was on the hill for the Bruins when they recorded the final out of their national championship victory in 2013.
UCLA begins its season Friday against Hofstra at 6 p.m. at Jackie Robinson Stadium.
Compiled by Matthew Joye, Bruin Sports senior staff.