Summer is officially here, and it means one thing for UCLA baseball: the start of summer league baseball for many of the Bruin players.
Instead of relaxing at home and reflecting upon their successful season in which they advanced to the Super Regionals for the first time since 2000 and thinking about next year, many Bruin baseball players are staying fit and sharp by playing in some of the most competitive summer leagues throughout the country.
UCLA has sent seven players (Ryan Babineau, Charles Brewer, Gavin Brooks, Alden Carrithers, Brandon Crawford, Jermaine Curtis and Jason Novak) to play in the Cape Cod League, considered the most competitive of all the summer leagues.
Carrithers, Crawford and Novak are playing for the Orleans Cardinals, and Brewer, Brooks and Curtis are playing for the Chatham A’s.
Babineau is playing for the Brewster Whitecaps, the team he played for last year.
Brooks, one of the starting pitchers for the Chatham A’s, believes that everything about the summer leagues is beneficial, from the competition to the opportunity to work and improve upon certain aspects of each player’s game.
“The competition here is great,” Brooks said. “It’s a great opportunity to get used to that intense and competitive college atmosphere and competition. I’m just looking forward to working on my weaknesses and improving upon my pitches and my command. The summer leagues give you an excellent opportunity to work on your game and improve upon things from the past season.”
Brooks and Brewer have each already started a game for the A’s. Brooks pitched on June 19 against the Wareham Gatemen, in which he lasted 4.1 innings, giving up one run off three hits while striking out four batters. The A’s won the game 3-2, but Brooks earned a no decision.
Brewer pitched on June 21 against the Bourne Braves, allowing one run on five hits while striking out two over four innings of work. The A’s won the game as well, 4-3, though Brewer earned a no decision as well.
“This league is known as the toughest summer league there is,” Brooks said.
“This is where the best players in the nation and the top players on each team come to play. You go up against some tough competition and have to face some solid players.”
Another league that is full of Bruins is the Northwoods League.
UCLA has sent nine players to play for various teams in that league (Corey Ashner, Garret Claypool, Gabe Cohen, Cody Decker, Matt Drummond, Casey Haerther, J.D. Haver, Brendan Lafferty and Justin Uribe).
Sophomore Uribe, who began to heat up immensely during the Bruins’ playoff run, is looking forward to the unique opportunity to play in a league in which the players use wooden bats as opposed to aluminum ones.
“This is a wood bat league, so it’s going to be cool playing with wood bats,” Uribe said.
“The league is good for getting exposure and logging (at-bats). During the season, a lot of guys did not get the opportunity to get that many at-bats. For me, I’m looking to get more exposure on the mound and to keep my arm in tune.”
DRAFTED BRUINS BEGIN THEIR ROAD TO THE SHOW: In this year’s draft, three Bruins were selected by Major League clubs. Closer Brant Rustich was drafted by the New York Mets in the second round, starter Tyson Brummett by the Philadelphia Phillies in the seventh round, and relief pitcher Kevin Brophy was drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 21st round.
Both Rustich and Brophy will start in the Rookie league, with the Kingsport Mets and the Princeton Devil Rays, respectively.
Brummett will play this summer with the Williamsport Crosscutters, the Class-A short-season affiliate of the Phillies.
“This summer, I’m looking to get out here and get to know the organization that I’m going to be with for however long I play baseball,” Brummett said. “A lot of the guys on the team are in the same position I am in. Most of them are college guys and this is their first time. There is still that college mentality, so I’m not going at it alone.”