Jarron Silva hasn’t yet stepped foot on the field for UCLA baseball, but he’s already helping elevate the Bruins’ brand this summer.
The incoming freshman outfielder has been one of the most impressive players for the Victoria HarbourCats of the West Coast League, a development that’s been of little surprise to Victoria general manager Brad Norris-Jones.
“When you get UCLA players, you’re getting the cream of the crop,” Norris-Jones told the Times Colonist.
That message has been spread across the landscape of collegiate summer leagues this year, with Bruins making their mark from Mankato, Minnesota, to Wenatchee, Washington.
Silva, who has hit .284 with a .371 on-base percentage for the HarbourCats, is one of five UCLA players to earn summer-league All-Star honors this summer.
Rising sophomore outfielder Daniel Amaral, who was hindered in his freshman season by a hand injury, garnered an All-Star nod in the high-profile Northwoods League, hitting .317 with a .396 on-base percentage in 39 games for the Duluth Huskies. Amaral also showed off his electric speed by converting 28 of his 33 stolen-base tries, good for second-most in the league.
“My freshman year wasn’t what I wanted, but it happens,” Amaral told the Duluth News Tribune. “Now I’ve gotten into a routine, and I’m feeling good.”
Incoming freshman outfielder Michael Toglia owns the most eye-popping summer stats of any Bruin with a .304/.394/.574 line in 39 games for the Wenatchee AppleSox of the West Coast League. Toglia’s leads that league with seven home runs – four more than any Bruin hit during the 56-game 2016 season.
Both Toglia and Silva made the WCL All-Star Game.
A pair of rising redshirt sophomores received All-Star honors in West Coast summer leagues. First baseman Zander Clarke made the Great West League All-Star team with a line of .266/.343/.426 for the Portland Pickles, and right-hander Matt Walker was selected to the California Collegiate League All-Star team, finishing the summer with a 2.67 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP for the San Luis Obispo Blues.
In addition to the five All-Star selections, all four Bruins in the prestigious Cape Cod League this summer have held their own.
Rising junior right-hander Jake Bird, who was forced into a starting role for the Bruins this spring, started seven games for the Falmouth Commodores, posting a 2.78 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP.
“Jake has a really good arm and a lot of people are talking about him,” Falmouth manager Jeff Trundy told Cape Cod’s Wicked Local.
Rising sophomore left-hander Justin Hooper has also produced impressive results for the Cotuit Kettleers with a 3.19 ERA in 25.1 innings. He has continued to struggle somewhat with command, walking nearly as many batters as he has struck out, but he’s held opponents to a .236 average against him.
Although he started the summer with a shaky outing in which he allowed four earned runs and recorded just two outs, rising senior righty Moises Ceja has settled into the closer role for the Chatham Anglers. Aside from that first appearance, Ceja has posted a 3.14 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP out of the bullpen.
Rising junior first baseman Sean Bouchard joined Ceja this summer in Chatham, Massachusetts, where he has hit .240 in 33 games. Before a recent dry spell, Bouchard had his average up to .279. He has just one home run in 104 at-bats.
Besides Amaral, two other Bruins also performed impressively in the Northwoods League, widely considered the nation’s second-best summer circuit besides the Cape.
Rising sophomore reliever Brian Gadsby has tallied a 2.27 ERA in 35 2/3 innings for the Mankato Moondogs and rising redshirt sophomore first baseman Jake Pries has blasted a league-leading five home runs in 92 at-bats with a gaudy line of .314/.400/.554 for Duluth.
Rising sophomore righty Jon Olsen and incoming freshman righty Ryan Garcia have both pitched well in the West Coast League. Olsen has posted a 2.45 ERA in 36 2/3 innings for the Bellingham Bells and Garcia owns a 1.83 ERA in 34 1/2 innings for the Yakima Valley Pippins.