This article is part of our College Baseball Picks series.
UCLA vs Oregon Showdown: Big 10 Baseball Clash Promises Thrills
Cash that BIG BOY parleezy with Texas and LSU! Have to admit there was some sweats going on, but in the end it came home. My discord slate featured a monster +6.56 unit night, make sure you subscribe below if you have not done so already.
With the weekend starting on Thursday for most teams, it threw everything off a bit, but a handful of teams still don't begin until Friday. In this rare instance, we pretty much get two "Fridays" to bet on a bunch of Game 1s, which is obviously my favorite.
In a continued effort to keep you guessing, we're going out west to highlight some teams I haven't talked about in a minute.
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Oregon vs UCLA
- UCLA Bruins (-105)
- Oregon Ducks (-125)
- Total: 12.5
Aside from this being a marquee Big 10 matchup (former PAC 12) featuring a ton of stud players and prospects, it represents a likely turning point in the conference standings. Both of these newcomers have done well in the soft Big 10, sitting with 12 wins each. Currently, the Bruins are 12-3 and pacing the standings, while Oregon is 12-6, a short distance behind in third place with Iowa (14-4) sandwiched in between. It should be a really good showdown between two Top 25 teams that I'm excited to talk about.
Grayson Grinsell has been impressive as the Ducks ace in 2025. His 3.37 ERA and 56 K/19 BB ratio in 50.2 innings has allowed him to be in the conversation as potentially the Big 10 pitcher of the year. It's also given his team a chance to win every time he takes the bump. In conference play, he's been a different beast, surrendering just eight runs in 35 innings (six starts). On Friday night though, the lefty will see his toughest test yet in a resurgent UCLA squad.
It will be a capable lineup led by stud sophomore SS Roch Cholowsky, whose draft stock is a first round grade in 2026. Cholowsky is sitting at 11 homers, 39 RBIs, 1.241 OPS, and a .366 average, all smashing his freshman marks. There's a handful of other producers, but the next best player this season has been Mulivai Levu (.338 avg, 10 HR, .989 OPS). As an offense, UCLA does a bit of everything, though they aren't known for standing out with one single thing.
Grinsell's deceptive wind-up has created issues for hitters all year, along with a vicious breaking ball. As long as he can continue to keep the command, he should be able to give his team a chance to win. Since this will be a long series, he will likely have to give his team at least six strong innings.
On the other side of the hill (projected) is newly instated Friday guy, freshman Wylan Moss. This is a name you should write down because in a couple of years when he's draft eligible he may be one of the first arms of the board in 2027. After emerging as midweek/pen guy, his jump into the rotation has been smooth with nine innings and two earned runs in the last two outings. It's a strong 37 K/10 BB ratio across 33.1 innings, accompanied by a 2.43 ERA.
The difference for the Bruins is the level of competition they are seeing this week. Up until this point, it's been a cake walk sprinkled with a couple of competitive-at-best teams. Oregon sits at 23rd in WRC+ (145), 11th in WOBA (.427), 19th in OPS (.959), and top 15 in homers (66). It's a bevy of producers here, led by draft rising Mason Neville and his nation-leading 17 taters. There's seven different hitters with a .300 or better average, four with an OPS of 1.000+ and three with double-digit Jimmy Jacks.
Ultimately, I like Oregon at home in a close, low-scoring contest. Aside from them being more experienced, at home, and more talented, I also picked them to win the Big10 in a Future Wednesday article.
Pick: Oregon ML -125 (MGM)
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