After a four-year hiatus, San Diego has produced another first-round pick in the MLB draft.
The Los Angeles Angels selected UC Santa Barbara right-handed pitcher Tyler Bremner second overall in Sunday night’s draft. Bremner starred at Scripps Ranch High School before becoming one of the nation’s top pitchers with the Gauchos.
San Diego last produced a first-round pick in 2021, when shortstops Marcelo Mayer of Eastlake High School and Carson Williams of Torrey Pines High School went fourth and 21st, respectively. Bremner is the highest player selected from San Diego since the Philadelphia Phillies selected La Costa Canyon High School outfielder Mickey Moniak with the No. 1 overall pick in 2016. Moniak was the fifth No. 1 overall selection, joining Adrián González, Matt Bush, Stephen Strasburg and Brady Aiken.
Bremner was considered a top-10 pick by many experts, but …
“Going at No. 2 was definitely a surprise,” said Chris Lamb, Bremner’s high school coach at Scripps Ranch. “I’m just elated for Tyler and his family.”
At Santa Barbara, Bremner immediately carved out a spot on the mound. He made 17 appearances as a true freshman, making eight starts. He struck out 80 batters in 55 1/3 innings, earning All-Big West Conference honors. Bremner’s breakout sophomore season in 2024 ended with an 11-1 record, a 2.54 ERA and 104 strikeouts. His performance earned him All-American honors by Perfect Game, putting himself squarely on the radar for this draft.
As a junior, Bremner was used exclusively as a starter while once again upping his strikeout total. He repeated as an All-American, securing his first-round status with his pitch arsenal. Bremner throws a mid-90s fastball and a devastating changeup.
“He has a moxie and competitiveness to him,” Lamb added. “He works so hard, he’s gonna do great things.”
Bremner battled injuries before breaking out during his senior season at Scripps Ranch. He tossed 54 1/3 innings during his final season with the Falcons in 2022, finishing with 87 strikeouts and a 0.90 ERA in 12 appearances. Bremner got better as the year went on, finishing with 35 total strikeouts over his final three starts before moving on to the collegiate level.
“For us at Scripps Ranch, it’s our first first-rounder ever,” Lamb said. “It’s so awesome, being able to watch the broadcast and you look behind Tyler and you see five or six of his teammates up there. It’s such an awesome moment for the community and everyone around him who got to see him pitch.”
Bremner was one of two players with local ties to be selected on Sunday. The St. Louis Cardinals selected USD first baseman Jack Gurevitch in the third round. He went 89th overall.
Gurevitch was ranked 144th on MLB.com’s list of the top 250 prospects, making him an early Day 2 draft prospect. The Cardinals couldn’t wait, choosing him 55 picks earlier. The 6-foot junior corner infielder from Pacific Palisades led the Toreros this season with a .371 batting average and 17 home runs while collecting 56 RBIs.
San Diego’s first-round MLB draft picks
Year/Name/Position/School/Team/Overall pick
1965/Mike Adamson/RHP/Point Loma HS/Phillies/18*
1967/Brian Bickerton/LHP/Santana HS/A’s/7
1970/Steve Dunning/RHP/University HS (now Cathedral Catholic) and Stanford/Indians/2*
1970/John D’Acquisto/RHP/St. Augustine HS/Giants/17*
1975/Bruce Robinson/C/La Jolla HS and Stanford/A’s/21*
1979/Bob Geren/C/Clairemont HS/Padres/24*
1980/Garry Harris/SS/Hoover HS/Blue Jays/2
1980/Cecil Espy/OF/Point Loma HS/White Sox/8*
1980/Billy Beane/OF/Mt. Carmel HS/Mets/23*
1981/Bobby Meacham/SS/San Diego State/Cardinals/8*
1981/Kevin Burrell/C/Poway HS/Red Sox/25
1982/Steve Swain/OF/Grossmont HS/Astros/15
1982/Sam Horn/1B/Morse HS/Red Sox/16*
1983/Eddie Williams/3B/Hoover HS/Mets/4*
1985/Chris Gwynn/OF/San Diego State/Dodgers/10*
1990/Tony Clark/OF/Christian HS/Tigers/2*
1990/Eric Christopherson/C/San Diego State/Giants/19
1990/Lance Dickson/LHP/Grossmont HS and Arizona/Cubs/23*
1991/Benji Gil/SS/Castle Park HS/Rangers/19*
1992/Benji Grisby/RHP/San Diego State/A’s/20
1995/Jaime Jones/OF/Rancho Bernardo HS/Marlins/6
1995/Mark Redman/LHP/Escondido HS and Oklahoma/Twins/13*
1995/Ryan Jaroncyk/SS/Orange Glen HS/Mets/18
1995/Chad Hutchinson/RHP/Torrey Pines HS/Braves/26*
1996/Travis Lee/1B/San Diego State/Twins/2*
1996/Eric Chavez/3B/Mt. Carmel HS/A’s/10*
1997/Troy Glaus/3B/Carlsbad HS and UCLA/Angels/3*
1997/Brett Caradonna/OF/El Capitan HS/White Sox/34
1998/Mark Prior/RHP/University HS/Yankees/43*
1999/Eric Munson/C/Mt. Carmel HS and USC/Tigers/3*
1999/Barry Zito/LHP/USDHS (now Cathedral Catholic) and USC/A’s/9*
1999/David Walling/RHP/El Capitan HS and Arkansas/Yankees/27
2000/Adrián González/1B/Eastlake HS/Marlins/1*
2000/Adam Johnson/RHP/Torrey Pines HS and Cal State Fullerton/Twins/2*
2000/Matt Wheatland/RHP/Rancho Bernardo HS/Tigers/8
2000/Shaun Boyd/OF/Vista HS/Cardinals/13
2000/Scott Heard/C/Rancho Bernardo HS/Rangers/25
2001/Mark Prior/RHP/USDHS (now Cathedral Catholic) and USC/Cubs/2*
2002/Cole Hamels/LHP/Rancho Bernardo HS/Phillies/17*
2002/Royce Ring/LHP/Monte Vista HS and San Diego State/White Sox/18*
2003/Carlos Quentin/OF/USDHS (now Cathedral Catholic) and Stanford/Diamondbacks/29*
2003/Adam Jones/OF/Morse HS/Mariners/37*
2004/Matt Bush/SS/Mission Bay HS/Padres/1*
2004/Danny Putnam/OF/Rancho Bernardo HS/Stanford/A’s/36*
2005/John Drennen/OF/Rancho Bernardo HS/Indians/33
2005/Hank Sanchez/1B/Mission Bay HS/Twins/39
2007/Nick Noonan/SS/Francis Parker/Giants/32*
2008/Brian Matusz/LHP/USD/Orioles/4*
2008/Allan Dykstra/1B/Rancho Bernardo HS and Wake Forest/Padres/23*
2009/Stephen Strasburg/RHP/West Hills HS and San Diego State/Nationals/1*
2009/Mike Leake/RHP/Fallbrook HS/Arizona State/Reds/8*
2011/Joe Musgrove/RHP/Grossmont HS/Blue Jays/46*
2012/Kyle Zimmer/RHP/La Jolla HS and USF/Royals/5*
2013/Kris Bryant/3B/USD/Cubs/2*
2013/Ian Clarkin/LHP/Madison HS/Yankees/33
2014/Brady Aiken/LHP/Cathedral Catholic HS/Astros/1
2014/Alex Jackson/OF/Rancho Bernardo HS/Mariners/6*
2014/Bradley Zimmer/OF/La Jolla HS and USF/Indians/21*
2014/Connor Joe/C-1B/Poway HS and USD/Pirates/39*
2015/Brady Aiken/LHP/Cathedral Catholic HS/Indians/17
2015/Kevin Newman/SS/Poway HS and Arizona/Pirates/19*
2015/Kyle Holder/SS/University City HS, Grossmont College and USD/Yankees/30
2015/Tyler Nevin/3B/Poway HS/Rockies/38*
2016/Mickey Moniak/OF/La Costa Canyon HS/Phillies/1*
2019/Keoni Cavaco/SS/Eastlake/Twins/13
2019/Korey Lee/C/Vista HS and Cal/Astros/32*
2020/Alika Williams/SS/Rancho Bernardo HS/Rays/37*
2021/Marcelo Mayer/SS/Eastlake HS/Red Sox/4*
2021/Carson Williams/SS/Torrey Pines HS/Rays/28
2022/Spencer Jones/OF/La Costa Canyon and Vanderbilt/Yankees/25
2025/Tyler Bremner/RHP/Scripps Ranch and UC Santa Barbara/Angels/2
* Played in the major leagues
NOTE: June regular phase only. For several years, MLB held a draft in January and a secondary phase in June for players who had been previously drafted. Additionally, some players were drafted and did not sign; as a result, they appear on this list twice.
JOHN MAFFEI
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