Trevor Bauer was not the most heralded freshman on the UCLA pitching staff last year. But through the season, it became clear that there was only one reason for that: Gerrit Cole had a lot of hype.
It certainly wasn’t because Bauer’s abilities were lacking.
The 6’1 righty went 9-3 with a 2.99 ERA and was a consensus Freshman All-American. The Collegiate Baseball Newspaper named him the National Freshman Pitcher of the Year, over Cole. He ended up pitching with Team USA over the summer; he was originally headed for Yarmouth-Dennis.
This summer, Bauer is again on the Y-D roster. If he makes it to the Cape, he’ll likely be arriving as one of the league’s top two or three pitchers.
So far this spring, Bauer has teamed with Cole and Cape League alum Rob Rasmussen to give UCLA one of the most impressive weekend rotations in the country. Bauer is 3-0 with a 2.38 ERA. In 22.2 innings, he has struck out 38 and walked only six. Opponents are hitting .165 against him.
His most recent start may have been his best. Pitching against traditional SEC heavyweight Mississippi State on Saturday, Bauer struck out a career-high 15 and allowed two runs on just three hits in eight innings of work. He earned the victory, which moved UCLA to 12-0.
Bauer is doing all of this a year ahead of his classmates. He skipped his senior year of high school to enroll early at UCLA. Baseball-wise, it was a good move. Baseball Beginnings, in a bit of hyperbole, dubs him Tim Lincecum Jr.
Here’s hoping we get to see him on the Cape this summer.