Everyone’s in agreement that the UCLA Bruins have at least one shortstop selected in the first round of this year’s MLB Draft but could the Bruins have two? The Athletic’s Keith Law believes that UCLA infielder Roman Martin could man the position too.
Law released his Top 100 2026 MLB Draft prospects, with Martin being listed at No. 31. Martin, unsurprisingly, has two teammates ranked ahead of him on the list with shortstop Roch Cholowsky at No. 1 and pitcher Logan Reddemann at No. 15.
Even though Cholowsky has manned shortstop for the Bruins, that doesn’t mean that Martin can’t handle the position. Martin’s ability to play shortstop is a big deal, with teams prioritizing shortstop as one of the most important defensive positions on the diamond.
Oh yeah, Martin can hit too. This season he’s batting .327 with seven home runs and 46 RBIs. He’s also displayed extreme discipline, drawing a team-high 40 walks and 15 doubles.
“Martin plays third base for UCLA because of Roch Cholowsky, but he’s a legitimate shortstop in his own right, at least Cholowsky’s equal on defense, according to scouts who’ve seen him there,” Law wrote. “He’s still one of the most passive hitters in the draft, with a swing rate around 30 percent this year and 32 percent last year. The flip side is that he doesn’t chase (17 percent) or whiff (22 percent) much at all, and he does do damage when the bat leaves his shoulder, with a .337/.462/.538 line through May 10. He looks very much like a quiet regular at short for someone.”
Martin could go late in the first or early in the second, regardless, it’s looking like the Bruins will be seeing a lot of talent go early in this summer’s MLB Draft.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Could a third UCLA get selected in the first round of the MLB Draft?
Reporting by Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
