Before the MLB Network’s broadcast team could get off the phone with Gerrit Cole, the former Bruin and No. 1 overall pick, commissioner Bud Selig was announcing the selection of another right-handed pitcher from UCLA.
This time, it was Trevor Bauer ““ UCLA’s all time leader in wins, strikeouts and innings pitched ““ being selected at No. 3 overall by the Arizona Diamondbacks.
“I was very happy about it and I was hoping that it would turn out this way,” Bauer said. “I’ve wanted to be a diamondback for a while but with the MLB draft, you can’t know exactly where you’re going to go. I can’t wait to get going.”
Cole and Bauer also become the first set of teammates to be drafted in the top three picks since 1978. Cole said he called Bauer to congratulate him on the selection shortly after the announcement.
“We were both estatic and just congratulated each other,” Cole said. “I’m sure I had a little more time to think about it than he did. There wasn’t a lot of substance because I think both of us were speechless.”
Bauer, who was recently named Collegiate Baseball’s Player of the Year and one of three finalists for the Golden Spikes Award, finished his junior season with a 13-2 record and a 1.25 earned run average. He also leaves UCLA as the Pac-10’s single-season leader in strikeouts.
It appears that the Diamondbacks organization has a great amount of faith in Bauer, as it was willing to take a chance on him regardless of his unconventional training techniques. It was that training regiment that had many teams worried about his durability.
“It’s extremely satisfying,” Bauer said. “It’s a credit to all the hard work I’ve put in over the years, video analysis and conditioning. The Diamondbacks were willing to sit down and talk with me about why I do the things I do. The hard work is paying off.”
UCLA was eliminated from the NCAA Los Angeles Regional Sunday when it lost a 4-3 elimination game to UC Irvine.
“It just goes to show that going to school could be very beneficial for players,” Savage said. “I think it’s a credit to Gerrit and Trevor that they withstood everything thrown their way.”