I attended the first two games of the series. Below are notes and scouting looks on some of the weekend’s standouts, ranging from No. 1 overall pick favorite Roch Cholowsky to some lesser-known 2026 names and underclass draft prospects to keep an eye on.
Players are listed with their ranking from Baseball America’s latest 2026 draft update, where applicable.
First-Round Hopefuls
No. 1 Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA
Cholowsky’s loudest performance of the weekend came in Game 3, but over the first two games, he went 2-for-11 with three strikeouts. Two of those Ks came on Friday, marking just his third multi-strikeout game of the season. UCLA coach John Savage said after Saturday’s game that Cholowsky was “pressing a bit,” and it showed in how frequently he worked himself into disadvantaged counts. All six of his at-bats on Friday reached at least two strikes.
Cholowsky didn’t look outmatched, but he wasn’t as clean or decisive as usual. His first strikeout came on a full-count, 93 mph fastball at the knees from Mason Edwards in an at-bat in which he also appeared to half-commit on an 0-0 changeup and took a hittable 1-1 breaking ball. The second came in the sixth inning when he chased a 1-2 curveball in the dirt from righty Gavin Lauridsen. Two of Cholowsky’s three whiffs outside the zone over the first two games came on offspeed pitches, against which he can be prone to chase at times.
Cholowsky makes a clear two-strike adjustment, sitting deeper into his crouch and shortening up his swing to prioritize contact, an approach he typically executes at a high level.
Neither of his hits on Friday left the infield, though one highlighted his athleticism and effort. He poked a 1-2 curveball from Edwards to second and beat out the slow roller with a 4.23 home-to-first time, which is squarely average.
Even without being at his best offensively, Cholowsky consistently put pressure on the defense with his feel for the zone, direct path to the ball and steady effort.
Defensively, Cholowsky was outstanding throughout. He handled routine plays cleanly and ended Saturday’s game on a more difficult play, ranging to his right, fielding the ball around face level and delivering a strong, accurate throw. His transfers are quick but controlled, and his internal clock is advanced. On Friday, he also initiated a double-play with a smooth underhand flip to second on a routine ground ball.
Cholowsky doesn’t just play shortstop, he controls it. He is vocal on the field, constantly adjusting positioning based on situation—a reflection of the extensive preparation evaluators have pointed to. He maintains momentum well to his right, arrives on time to the baseball and plays with excellent instincts. His arm is comfortably plus, and he delivers accurate throws from multiple angles, which is something he works on daily in pregame.
Even in a lackluster offensive showing, Cholowsky’s well-rounded skill set was evident. He runs games.
No. 38 Mason Edwards, LHP, USC
Edwards entered the start coming off his toughest outing of the season, as he walked six and allowed four runs (two earned) over 4.1 innings at Maryland in a look that underscored the control concerns tied to his profile. UCLA’s lineup was clearly prepared for that, and it showed. Edwards worked into eight three-ball counts over 4.2 innings, walking four and allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits with five strikeouts.
He sets up on the extreme third-base side of the rubber and works with a rocker step into a high leg lift. There’s a low kick-out before he drives down the mound from a near-over-the-top slot, landing closed.
Edwards sat 91-93 mph and touched 94 with his fastball, which has above-average carry through the zone with run. It generated two whiffs, one down in the zone to Payton Brennan and one elevated to Cashel Dugger, both lefthanded hitters. Overall, his control was below average. UCLA hitters swung at 20 of his 41 fastballs and chased just four out of the zone, a reflection of how often he was around the plate but not consistently locating with precision.
He leaned heavily on a mid-70s/low-80s breaking ball that he manipulated into two distinct shapes, at times showing horizontal sweep and at others more vertical depth. It was his most effective pitch on the night, generating four whiffs. He also mixed in a low-80s changeup sparingly, throwing it six times and generating three whiffs on four swings.
The stuff is advanced, particularly the breaking ball, but the command and overall control remain clear points of concern. Even so, Edwards competed throughout, moved well on the mound and continued to attack, notably not allowing a hit in a hitter’s count.
No. 47 Logan Reddemann, RHP, UCLA
Reddemann wasted no time grabbing attention Friday night, touching 99 mph in warmups and sitting 97–98 in a clean first inning that featured two strikeouts, one looking and one swinging on a high fastball to end the frame.
The velocity held into the second, but the results did not. Adrian Lopez led off with a single on a 1-1 fastball in on the hands that he shot to left-center, and two batters later, Andrew Lamb drove a 1-0 changeup left over the plate out to left-center for a two-run home run. Reddemann allowed another single in the third, two more in the fifth and a home run in the sixth to Augie Lopez, who got a fastball over the heart of the plate and did not miss. Four of USC’s six hits against him came on fastballs.
After dipping to 93.6 mph in his previous outing, Reddemann’s average fastball velocity climbed back to 95.3, but he did not have his sharpest look overall. He generated just four swings and misses and failed to reach seven strikeouts for the first time since opening night.
He leaned heavily on the fastball while also mixing in a mid-to-high 80s slider, high-80s cutter, low-80s curveball and a mid-80s changeup that flashed plus and was generally at least above average when located.
A plus athlete, Reddemann works with a rocker step into a full arm lift over his head before dropping into a quick, whippy three-quarters delivery. He maintains arm speed well, particularly on the changeup, which shows significant run.
Reddemann competes with energy, works around the zone and offers five distinct shapes. Even without his best outing, he showed the ability to reach back for upper-90s velocity, sustain it and pair it with a full mix of quality offspeed pitches and pitchability.
Top 100 Range Draft Prospects
No. 61 Will Gasparino, OF, UCLA
For as hard as Gasparino is capable of hitting the ball, his impact over the first two games showed up more through contact and athleticism than raw power. He went 5-for-9, all singles, showing an ability to put the ball in play in a variety of ways. He drove a 1-0 curveball to left, shot a 1-2 cutter up and away back through the middle, flared an 0-0 breaking ball on his hands to right and dug out a 2-2 slider down and pulled it to left. He also bunted for a hit and turned in a 3.81-second home-to-first time.
Gasparino stands tall with a narrower base than in previous looks, operating with fewer moving parts. The swing features a simple leg lift, slight bat tip and quick hands geared for lift. He can still get ambitious on spin outside the zone, but the overall look at the plate is cleaner and more controlled.
A plus runner, Gasparino profiles to stick in center field. He showed it with his range and capped this weekend’s look with a throw to third on a one-hop strike to cut down a runner.
No. 111 Roman Martin, 3B, UCLA
Martin went 4-for-7 over two games with a double and a home run, doing all of his damage against fastballs. His home run came on the first pitch of the at-bat, a fastball from Mason Edwards left over the middle.
He stands nearly upright with the bat resting on his shoulder, then works into a clean hitting position with a small leg lift. He did not chase a pitch out of the zone over the two games and swung and missed just once across nine swings, which came on a 1-1 changeup from Edwards.
Martin played third base in both games, showing a strong arm and solid footwork.
No. 114 Mulivai Levu, 1B, UCLA
On a roster loaded with offensive talent, Levu stands out for the balance in his profile. He operates with a controlled, contact-oriented approach but still gets to his power frequently enough for it to show up in games.
He hits from a slightly closed stance with a modest knee bend and very high handset, consistently working into strong positions to hit. There’s a subtle rock into his move, with his lead foot staying close to the ground, helping him stay on time. Levu is difficult to beat in the zone, though he can expand at times, particularly on fastballs around the letters, which he will attack even when they finish above the zone.
He’s not a burner, but he moves better than expected for a first baseman, showing near-average run times and solid underway speed. That showed up Saturday when he tripled to right-center.
Defensively, Levu shows a strong feel for first base. He reads the ball well off the bat, has plus glove control and clean footwork and is comfortable ranging into shallow outfield and foul territory to hunt down pop-ups. His arm works from a low slot with natural cut, something that stands out more during pregame work across the infield as he takes grounders at third. There has been some chatter about a potential move elsewhere, but first base remains the most likely long-term home.
Top 300 Range Draft Prospects
No. 175 Grant Govel, RHP, USC
Govel sat 90-92 mph and touched 94 with a run-and-ride fastball. He paired it with a deep mix that included a solid high-80s cutter, a low-to-mid 80s changeup with fade, a high-70s curveball with two-plane tilt and a low-80s slider with sweep. He shows an advanced ability to manipulate shapes and generally maintains them well throughout the game. Against UCLA, though, he was in the zone too often, and the Bruins took advantage by attacking early in counts.
Govel has the look of a starter with the breadth of his repertoire, though he lacks a true putaway pitch. The changeup shows above-average potential, and his overall feel for spin is at least average.
No. 179 Cashel Dugger, C, UCLA
Dugger went 0-for-7 with a strikeout on a curveball from Mason Edwards but turned in a strong defensive weekend behind the plate. He was particularly effective as a receiver, outperforming his season baseline (53% called strike rate in the shadow zone) by stealing 15 strikes over two games. He showed his best work on pitches away to righthanded hitters, consistently presenting the ball well to his right, though he did lose two calls on pitches down and away.
Dugger threw out one of two base stealers on Saturday. His first attempt was slowed by a shaky transfer, resulting in a 2.10 pop time and an offline throw. He rebounded on his second opportunity, delivering a 1.93-second pop time with a strike to record the out.
No. 188 Cal Randall, RHP, UCLA
A physical 6-foot-4, 235-pound righthanded reliever, Randall brought premium velocity in the eighth inning Saturday. He sat 99-100 mph in warmups and settled in at 97-98 in-game, with just two fastballs dipping below that range. He paired the fastball with a limited look at his secondary stuff, throwing one 89 mph slider that got to the backstop after snaking behind the hitter. He also showed two 92 mph sliders in warmups. The fastball is the calling card, featuring a very flat attack angle with carry that allows it to play at the top of the zone.
Randall works with a high leg lift and a pronounced drop-and-drive move, using a strong lower half to generate power. He throws from a whippy low three-quarters slot with easy arm speed and does not appear to need significant effort to reach elite velocity. There is some feel to spin, but the slider is inconsistent, and he will mix an occasional changeup with tumble.
Randall profiles as a reliever, but the fastball gives him a chance to move quickly if he can find even fringe control.
No. 268 Dean West, OF, UCLA
West went 2-for-8, taking a pair of fastballs the other way for a single and a double. An undersized corner outfielder, he doesn’t have a true plus tool, but he brings a well-rounded profile built on a collection of roughly average tools, strong athleticism and a clear feel for the game. The overall skill set makes him an intriguing option in the later single-digit rounds.
Adam Troy, RHP, USC
Troy wasn’t included in Baseball America’s most recent Top 300, but he looked like a clear candidate to be added for future draft board updates.
The 6-foot-3, 215-pound righthander worked one inning and showed a starter’s build with a power-oriented look on the mound. He drops and drives into an over-the-top delivery from a tight, abbreviated arm action, keeping the ball compact before accelerating through release. He sat 92-94 mph with a fastball that showed excellent cut-ride shape, consistently generating around 20 inches of induced vertical break. He gets down the mound well and creates above-average extension, allowing the pitch to play up.
The fastball projects as a potential plus offering, and he paired it with a mid-70s downer curveball that flashed plus, generating a swing-and-miss while showing feel for landing it. He also mixed in a mid-80s cutter-like slider and a mid-80s changeup with fade and tumble. Troy showed a complete mix with quality shapes and feel, putting together one of the more intriguing relief looks of the weekend.
Underclass Draft Prospects To Follow
Dominic Cadiz, DH, UCLA (2028)
Cadiz went 3-for-7 with a double and continued to show above-average strength. He can be overzealous at times and swung and missed four times on 12 hacks, but the freshman continues to show promise.
Wylan Moss, RHP, UCLA (2027)
Moss has been one of the most effective relievers in college baseball this season, working in a long-relief piggyback role behind Saturday starter Michael Barnett. He wasn’t at his sharpest in this look, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits and three walks with one strikeout over 4.1 innings.
That line, however, doesn’t fully reflect how Moss’ stuff played. He sat 92-94 mph and touched 95 with run and ride, pairing the fastball with a comfortably plus low-80s changeup and a mid-80s slider. His offspeeds accounted for eight of his nine whiffs, five of which came on the changeup. Even without his best command, Moss showed a high-quality three-pitch foundation with the ability to miss bats at a high rate.
Zach Strickland, RHP, UCLA (2027)
Strickland worked 1.1 scoreless innings Saturday, allowing no hits with one walk and two strikeouts. He operated off a two-pitch mix, sitting 94-96 mph and touching 97 with a fastball that showed carry, paired with a mid-80s slider featuring two-plane break. He throws from a three-quarters slot and attacked with intent throughout the outing.
Diego Velazquez, RHP, USC (2028)
Velazquez showed the makings of big stuff, sitting 94-96 mph and touching 97 with a fastball that featured run and ride. He paired it with a slider that showed above-average spin and short, tight horizontal action. The raw ingredients are evident, though he will need to continue growing into his frame and refining his control as he progresses. The upside is intriguing.
