Bruins' Levu Making Case for Big Ten Player of the Year

UCLA sophomore first baseman Mulivai Levu is already making a case for Big Ten Player of the Year with how he has produced lately.

UCLA Bruins outfielder Jake Palmer (38) swings at the ball as Auburn Tigers take on UCLA Bruins during the NCAA regional baseball tournament at Plainsman Park in Auburn, Ala., on Sunday, June 5, 2022. | Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK

The No. 14 UCLA Bruins (23-5, 10-2) are loaded with sophomore standouts that have been producing all season.

One in particular has shined above the rest, but the past three games have been otherworldly. Sophomore first baseman Mulivai Levu is making a case for Big Ten Player of the Year.

Levu has steadily been the top hitter on this Bruin roster next to sophomore shortstop Roch Cholowsky, but the past week has set Levu apart from the rest. He is now competing amongst the top hitters in the conference, quickly looking like one of the best players in the Big Ten.

In his last four games, Levu has put together an offensive light show of elite proportion, earning 11 hits, including back-to-back four hit contests, 10 runs scored, two home runs, and a whopping 14 RBIs. His two games leading up to Friday's contest against San Diego featured a pair of five RBI days, something he has done three times already.

When making the argument for Big Ten Player of the Year, the stats help back it up. Levu is tied for the seventh-most hits in the conference (43), tied for 10th in home runs (10), tied for second in RBIs (46), and is 13th in batting average (.361). He leads UCLA in each of those categories, firmly being their best hitter through 29 games.

Just recently, Levu was named the 49th ranked playing at his position (1B), per D1Baseball. He has been just as strong defensively as he has with the bat in his hands, truly becoming a complete, five-tool player for one of the nation's top teams. He has a .996 fielding percentage with just one error.

NCAA Baseball requires players to spend three years at the collegiate level before declaring for the MLB Draft, but it is not outlandish to think that Levu could join a minor league roster and succeed at this juncture of his career. There is a lot of potential in the left side of the batter's box with Levu.

The Bruins will be looking to build on their 15-2 rout against San Diego when they host the Toreros again on Saturday in Westwood. Levu's hot-hitting and stellar defense will be on display again as he continues to show the rest of the conference how talented he is.

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