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Multiple Bruins Featured in Baseball America Rankings

A couple of UCLA baseball players are now considered among the top 50 in the nation at their positions.
Travis Tyler|
Jun 14, 2025; Omaha, Neb, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach John Savage watches the team warm up before the game against the Murray State Races at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images
Jun 14, 2025; Omaha, Neb, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach John Savage watches the team warm up before the game against the Murray State Races at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

UCLA's No. 1-ranked baseball team has been the talk of college baseball all offseason, with many players receiving preseason awards and recognition and favorable projections for the 2026 MLB Draft.

The latest wave of recognition comes from Baseball America, which has featured a couple of Bruins' juniors among its Top 50 Players in the country at their respective positions. That comes on top of the same outlet naming RHP Cal Randall a sleeper MLB prospect heading into the season and many dubbing junior shortstop Roch Cholowsky the frontrunner to be selected first overall in the 2026 MLB Draft.

Latest Bruins in the Top 50

It's important to note that there are still other rankings lists that will be published by Baseball America as the season draws closer. The first wave included the top first basemen and top catchers, and UCLA has a representative on both.

Junior Mulivai Levu has been recognized as one of the best first basemen in college baseball, coming in at No. 3 nationally and No. 1 in the Big Ten Conference. It's the second straight season Levu has been included on the list.

Through two seasons at UCLA, Levu has performed at a high level, breaking out in 2025 with a Gold Glove and second-team All-Big Ten and third-team All-America honors after hitting .320 with 12 home runs and 85 RBIs while committing just one error in the field.

Levu also had the seventh-most at-bats in a single season for UCLA has driven in over 100 runs during his career. MLB.com's most recent 2026 Draft prospect rankings list him as the No. 94 overall player in the class and the third-best available first baseman. The junior was one of five Big Ten first basemen among the Top 50, coming in ahead of Indiana's Jake Hanley (No. 7), Oregon's Gabe Miranda (No. 27) and Dominic Hellman (No. 33), and Washington's Casen Taggart (No. 43).

UCLA junior catcher Cashel Dugger was also recognized in the Baseball America rankings. Hes the No. 33 backstop entering the season and the No. 2 catcher in the Big Ten. Dugger isn't as flashy offensively, as is traditionally the case with many catchers, but he;s a steady presence behind the plate for a greta pitching staff, has a knack for getting on base, and put up solid numbers at the plate during his sophomore campaign.

Three Big Ten catchers were featured in the Top 50, led by Minnesota's Weber Neels (No. 6). Indiana's Hogan Denny (No. 46) rounded out the group.

ucla top player
Jun 14, 2025; Omaha, Neb, USA; UCLA Bruins catcher Cashel Dugger (40) signals after hitting a double against the Murray State Racers during the second inning at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

These won't be the only Bruins featured on these lists when all is said and done, but it's good to see strong evidence to back up UCLA's potential this season.

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Published
Travis Tyler
TRAVIS TYLER

Travis Tyler joined On SI as a writer in January 2026. He has experience contributing to FanSided’s NFL, college football, and college basketball coverage, in addition to freelance work throughout the Dallas–Fort Worth area, including high school, college, and professional sports for the Dallas Express and contributions to the College Football Dawgs, Last Word on Sports/Hockey, and The Dallas Morning News. In addition to his writing, Travis contributes video and podcasting content to Fanatics View and regularly appears as a guest analyst. He is a graduate of Michigan State University and SMU and is an avid Detroit sports fan with a deep knowledge and appreciation of sports history. Follow Travis Tyler on Twitter at @TTyler_Sports.