| Player: Dean West | |||||||||||
| School: UCLA | Position(s): OF | ||||||||||
| Height: 5’9″ | Weight: 180 lbs. | Bats: Left | Throws: Right | ||||||||
| Summary: These days, it’s not often you come across the classic top of the lineup, speedy outfielder archetype. The man leading the charge for UCLA’s potent lineup is looking to bring that back into style. Another member of the tight-knit Junior class for the Bruins is OF Dean West. The Notre Dame High School alum exudes the baseball instincts of a kid who grew up in the competitive hotbed of the San Fernando Valley. He also has the accolades to prove it throughout his amateur career, having been a three-time Preseason Underclass All-American. At 5’9” and 180 lbs. He touts a compact, muscular athletic build that hints at some of the tools he possesses on the field. West’s legs make up what feel like about 70% of his height, complemented by a strong upper torso. This combination makes him an impressively quick athlete with powerful, quick-twitch movements. When Dean puts the ball in play (which he often does), the 1B baseline becomes a track meet for about 4 seconds. Swinging from the left side, West puts a lot of pressure on defenders to release the ball quickly and make a play on his speed in the infield. He is a confident and savvy baserunner who is responsible for 26 runs scored in his 25 starts this season. The best thing about the lefty’s athleticism is that he uses it to his advantage and makes it a part of his approach at the plate. He spreads out to a wide athletic stance, resting the bat flat on his shoulder. Using a quick toe tap and load, West gets his front foot down early, looking to make solid contact in front of the plate with a level swing plane. He possesses great bat-to-ball ability at the plate, which makes him a popular candidate to lead off and set the table for the heart of the order behind him. In 111 games played so far in his collegiate career, he has 116 hits with 82 walks and just 51 Strikeouts in that same stretch. A very disciplined approach with plus-speed, great contact, and enough strength to find gaps in the defense equals a tough out for pitchers at any level. On the other side of things, West currently mans Left Field for the Bruins. As you can imagine, his speed allows him to cover a lot of ground from foul territory to the gap. He displays the IQ of a player who has played high-level baseball for a long time. He gets great jumps on balls hit his way and anticipates contact based on the situation and context of the game. While he did record 3 errors last year in his 65 starts, Dean is a dependable outfielder and has been clean thus far through the 2026 season. I’d like to see him take on the CF responsibility because he has the tools to translate there, and he can easily hold down the corner OF positions. The 21-year-old has that old-school baseball feel about him. Plays hard, plays to win, and gives his team the ability to create more runs. You can tell that West thinks the game just as well as he plays it, and the numbers show that. His combination of speed, contact, and plate discipline is a rarity and extremely valuable in today’s game. | |||||||||||
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