UCLA Bruins: 2026 Season Preview
The Bruins finished 2025 ranked No. 1 nationally and shared the Big Ten crown in the conference's first year of coast-to-coast baseball. John Savage's 18th season in Westwood begins with a roster built to end UCLA's 13-year national title drought.
The Program
2025 Season Results
Season Highlights
Finished No. 1 in the final regular-season poll — first time since 2013 title year
Won Big Ten co-championship (shared with Oregon) in the conference's inaugural coast-to-coast season
48 wins tied the second-highest total in program history
Led the Big Ten in team ERA (3.28) and opponent batting average (.215)
Six players earned All-Big Ten honors, most in the conference
2026 Roster Breakdown
Key returnees and transfer portal additions
Key Returnees
Jake Palmer
OF · Jr.La Mirada product. Led UCLA in every triple-slash category. Pure hitter with emerging power who profiles as a top-two-rounds draft pick if he stays healthy.
Noah Jackson
SS · Jr.San Clemente native. Plus defender at shortstop with an advanced offensive approach. Hit .370 in Big Ten play.
Marcus Reyes
C · Sr.El Paso product. Controls the running game and frames pitches at an elite level. Veteran presence behind the plate.
Thatcher Hurd
RHP · Sr.Manhattan Beach native. Friday night starter with four pitches and the ability to navigate a lineup three times. Potential first-round pick.
Jared Karros
LHP · Jr.Son of former Dodgers first baseman Eric Karros. Polished lefty with pinpoint command of his changeup. Saturday anchor.
Tyler Ohashi
RHP · So.Torrance product. Electric closer with a mid-90s fastball and wipeout slider. Saved 14 games as a freshman — the ninth inning belongs to him.
Ryan Chen
INF · So.Arcadia product. Switch-hitter who can play second or third. On-base machine in the bottom third of the order.
Transfer Portal Additions
Austin Wells Jr.
OF · Jr.SEC-tested outfielder with power and on-base ability. Immediately slots into the middle of the order.
Diego Hernandez
RHP · R-Sr.Pac-12 legacy arm who reunites with Savage's staff. Sunday starter or high-leverage bullpen piece.
Cole Messina
1B · Jr.Son of former USC quarterback Mark Messina. Left-handed power bat who fills the first base hole cleanly.
Brandon Liu
LHP · Jr.Bay Area lefty adds depth to an already loaded bullpen. Groundball specialist who can work multiple innings.
Pitching Staff Analysis
The Headline
UCLA's pitching staff was the best in the Big Ten in 2025 and returns its three best arms. Thatcher Hurd (2.61 ERA, 118 K) is a legitimate Friday night ace — a four-pitch mix with the command to go deep into games. Tyler Ohashi (1.87 ERA, 14 saves) slams the door. The 1-2 punch of ace and closer gives Savage a framework that wins postseason series.
The Rotation
Hurd on Fridays, Jared Karros (3.14 ERA, 97 K) on Saturdays, and either Diego Hernandez (from Arizona) or a homegrown arm on Sundays. Karros is the son of a big-leaguer and pitches like it — composed, efficient, and relentless with the changeup. Hernandez gives UCLA something it lacked in 2025: a proven arm for Sunday who has been through Pac-12 wars.
The Depth
Ohashi in the ninth. Brandon Liu (from Cal) for multi-inning relief. The returning middle relievers posted a collective 3.05 ERA in 2025. This is a staff where the seventh and eighth innings are covered before you even get to the closer. Savage can shorten games to six innings and feel good about his chances.
Lineup Analysis
The Engine
Jake Palmer (.341/.432/.561) is the best all-around hitter on the West Coast. He does not chase. He drives the ball gap-to-gap and has developed home run power without sacrificing contact. Palmer batting third gives UCLA an anchor that forces pitchers to navigate the top of the order honestly.
The Middle
Noah Jackson (.306/.398/.478) and Austin Wells Jr. (from Vanderbilt, .298/.402/.501) provide the complementary production. Jackson is a premium defender who can hurt you at the plate. Wells adds SEC-caliber power to a lineup that already had plenty of on-base ability. Cole Messina (from South Carolina, .284/.371/.489, 13 HR) fills first base with a left-handed bat that can clear the fence at Jackie Robinson Stadium.
The Supporting Cast
Marcus Reyes (.287/.381/.445) is one of the best defensive catchers in the country who can also hit. Ryan Chen brings a switch-hitting approach and positional versatility. This lineup goes eight or nine deep with legitimate hitters — there is no easy out.
2026 Schedule Highlights
Scouting Verdict
20–80 scouting scale
BSI Projection
UCLA has the pitching to beat anyone in a three-game series and the lineup depth to survive the Big Ten gauntlet. Hurd and Ohashi are the kind of 1-9 combination that wins regionals. Palmer is a legitimate Player of the Year candidate. The portal additions — Wells, Messina, Hernandez — filled specific holes rather than adding bodies for the sake of adding bodies. Savage has been building toward this for 18 years in Westwood. The 2013 title feels like a long time ago. This roster is designed to shorten the wait.