Six UC Santa Barbara Baseball Players Selected in the 2024 Major League Baseball Draft
The Gauchos Had the Most Players Drafted of Any College Program in California
A new crop of UC Santa Barbara baseball players will make the leap to the professional ranks following the 2024 MLB Draft.
Six Gauchos were drafted over the course of three-day event, including Matt Ager (sixth-round pick 174 to Pittsburgh Pirates), Ryan Gallagher (sixth-round pick 182 to Chicago Cubs), Aaron Parker (sixth-round pick 187 to the Toronto Blue Jays), Ivan Brethowr (seventh-round pick 212 to the Chicago Cubs), Zander Darby (12th-round pick 358 to the San Francisco Giants) and Brendan Durfee (14th-round pick 420 to the San Diego Padres).
The Gauchos have the largest draft class in the state of California this year. Additionally, no school had more players selected in the first 10 rounds than UC Santa Barbara’s four.
Sixty-seven UC Santa Barbara players have been drafted since head coach Andrew Checketts took over the program in 2012.
“We had a good team this year. It was a talented team,” Checketts said. “I think the draft reflects that.”
Ager, the first Gauchos selected, flourished as the team’s closer in 2024, after serving as the team’s top starting pitcher in 2023 and garnering All-American honors. He also tied the program record with 16 career saves.
Coming off Tommy John surgery that wiped out his 2023 season, Ryan Gallagher bounced back to earn Big West Pitcher of the Year and All-American honors in 2024.
The first UC Santa Barbara position player selected was catcher Aaron Parker, coming off an outstanding 2024 season at the plate. Parker was the All-Big West First Team catcher. He led the team in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and runs batted in.
Ivan Brethowr will join Gallagher in the Chicago Cubs organization after leading the team and the Big West Conference with a career-high 15 home runs in 2024.
After three strong seasons playing the corner infield positions for the Gauchos, Zander Darby will begin his professional baseball journey in the San Francisco Giants organization. Darby began his 2024 season with a bang, homering in each of his first three games of the season.
Brendon Durfee shined in his lone season at UC Santa Barbara after transferring from Division 3 Cal Lutheran. He finished with nine home runs and 35 RBIs, despite a late-season injury that derailed what was shaping up to be a spectacular season at the plate.
The string of strong showings in the Major League Baseball draft is a testament to the UC Santa Barbara baseball program’s ability to develop talent.
“We know that when players get better and they improve and get professional opportunities that’s good for the team. That means that we’ve probably been rewarded on the scoreboard,” Checketts said. “You talk to guys about helping them reach their individual goals and the better players they are, the better our team is.”