Former UCSB Baseball Players Drafted into 2024 Major League Baseball

UC Santa Barbara’s baseball program has become a prominent talent factory for Major League Baseball, as evidenced by the recent 2024 MLB Draft that saw six Gauchos selected, the most of any college program in California.

During the three-day drafting event, Gaucho stars like Matt Ager, Ryan Gallagher, Aaron Parker, Ivan Brethowr, Zander Darby, and Brendan Durfee all found their paths to the pros.

Ager landed a spot with the Pittsburgh Pirates as the sixth-round pick 174. He became the first Gaucho selected by the Pirates since 2007 and the second ever. The Pleasanton native was an All-American starter in 2023 and an all-conference closer in 2024, tying Santa Barbara’s program record with 16 saves in his career. He also became the ninth man to ever record 200 strikeouts in the Blue and Gold in April.

Gallagher was drafted by the Chicago Cubs as pick 182 in the same round. He is the first Gaucho taken by the Cubs since 2005 and the fifth overall. The Granite Bay native made a triumphant return from Tommy John surgery in 2024, finishing as one of the nation’s top collegiate pitchers in terms of ERA, hits allowed, and WHIP. He headlined his season with a 107-pitch complete game shutout, just eight pitches over the limit for a “Maddux,” named after the legendary Cub himself.

Parker was claimed by the Toronto Blue Jays as the 187th overall pick, celebrated for his stellar offensive season. He became the first Gaucho hitter selected just five picks after his battery-mate Gallagher. The Los Altos native is the ninth Santa Barbara to be drafted by Toronto and the first since 2008. He was the All-Big West First Team catcher despite missing ten games with an injury and spending more time at designated hitter while recovering. He led the team in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging and RBIs to go along with his strong defensive work behind the plate, finishing as one of the top catchers at limiting stolen bases.

A round after the Cubs picked Gallagher, they added Brethowr to their draft class, making the Olathe, Kansas native the sixth Gaucho selected by the franchise. In two years as a Gaucho, Brethowr showcased the power that is now en route to Wrigley Field, hitting double-digit home runs in back-to-back years. His career-high 15 home runs led The Big West in 2024 and matched the total of his 2023 outfield partner Jared Sundstrom, who was drafted by the Seattle Mariners last year. Defensively, Brethowr’s arm is just as powerful as his bat, making him a prime candidate to patrol the corners of Chicago’s outfield.

Darby became the 13th Gaucho selected by the Giants, going to San Francisco with the 358th overall pick. Ranked 151st on MLB’s Top 250 Draft Prospects list, having caught fire late in the season, he hit .467 in the Gauchos’ final nine regular season games, the hottest streak in his red-hot month of May that saw him post a .391 average. He started the season on fire too, hitting home runs in each of his first three games.

Durfee continued the Gauchos-to-Padres pipeline when San Diego took him with the 420th overall pick, making this the fifth draft in the last six years and the fourth in a row that the Padres have selected a Gaucho. A transfer from Division III Cal Lutheran, Durfee impressed in his first season of Division I baseball, finishing second in on-base plus slugging (OPS) among Big West left-handers, behind only the conference’s player of the year. His 11 doubles, nine home runs and 35 RBIs were all career highs.

Under the guidance of Head Coach Andrew Checketts, UC Santa Barbara has cultivated a formidable baseball program with 67 players drafted since his tenure began in 2012, the largest draft class in the state of California this year and the second-biggest in the West behind only Oregon State. The 2024 season underscores their leading development capabilities, with no other school matching UC Santa Barbara’s four players picked in the draft’s first ten rounds.

UC Santa Barbara’s consistent presence in MLB draft selections speaks volumes of its commitment to fostering high-caliber athletes capable of excelling at the highest levels of the sport.