David Berg Stats & Scouting Report

IP	136
ERA	4.632
WHIP	1.426
BB/9	2.184
SO/9	6.75

Full name David Andrew Berg
Born 03/28/1993 in Glendora, CA
Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 190 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School UCLA
Drafted in the 6th round (173rd overall) by the Chicago Cubs in 2015 (signed for $50,000).

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Berg hopes to follow in the footsteps of such past college closers from low arm slots as Chad Bradford, Pat Neshek and Darren O'Day in becoming a future big leaguer from a low slot. However, college baseball history is littered with many more submariners who have not lasted long in pro ball. Berg as among the most accomplished relievers in college baseball history, setting the single-season (24 in 2013) saves record while racking up 48 career saves entering regional play. He also is the all-time appearances leader for a pitcher. Just 6 feet, 194 pounds, Berg attacks hitters with impeccable command of an 83-85 mph fastball with all kinds of sinking, running life. He also throws a slider with Frisbee lateral action and locates it as well. He's a cerebral pitcher but lacks then velocity of pitchers such as Neshek and O'Day. His track record and being a senior likely will get him drafted, perhaps in the first 10 rounds.

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Berg set the Division I single-season saves record (24) while leading UCLA to the 2013 national championship and went 22-6, 1.11 with 49 saves, walking just 44 in 267 career innings. His low arm slot puts him in the Darren O'Day/Pat Neshek family of relievers, and his makeup helps set him apart. He's a tremendous teammate and competitor who pitches without fear, as he showed by picking up two saves and two wins in the Carolina League playoffs to help high Class A Myrtle Beach win the championship. Berg pitches to both sides of the plate with his sinking, running 83-86 mph fastball. In the postseason he record 15 outs, 11 via groundball, three via strikeout and one on a popup. He flummoxes righthanded hitters with a Frisbee slider that he locates with precision, showing the ability to backdoor the pitch to lefthanded hitters. He pitches in effectively to lefties and locates a fringy changeup, which he'll need to improve to keep them honest at upper levels. Even UCLA thought Berg fit better as a setup man until he proved otherwise, and the Cubs see a similar future for the former recruited walk-on. He likely will start 2016 at Double-A Tennessee and could move quickly to Chicago.

Draft Prospects

Berg hopes to follow in the footsteps of such past college closers from low arm slots as Chad Bradford, Pat Neshek and Darren O'Day in becoming a future big leaguer from a low slot. However, college baseball history is littered with many more submariners who have not lasted long in pro ball. Berg as among the most accomplished relievers in college baseball history, setting the single-season (24 in 2013) saves record while racking up 48 career saves entering regional play. He also is the all-time appearances leader for a pitcher. Just 6 feet, 194 pounds, Berg attacks hitters with impeccable command of an 83-85 mph fastball with all kinds of sinking, running life. He also throws a slider with Frisbee lateral action and locates it as well. He's a cerebral pitcher but lacks then velocity of pitchers such as Neshek and O'Day. His track record and being a senior likely will get him drafted, perhaps in the first 10 rounds.
Berg drew no interest from Division I programs before dropping to a submarine slot late in his high school career, prompting UCLA to take a shot on him as a walk-on. He has become one of the most accomplished college closers of his era, earning first-team All-America honors as a sophomore, when he posted a 0.92 ERA, set the NCAA single-season saves record (24) and tied the record for most appearances in a season (51) while helping to lead the Bruins to their first national championship. He missed time this spring with a strained right biceps but still went 3-2, 1.50 with 11 saves in 48 innings over 31 appearances. As a 6-foot-1 submariner with well below-average velocity, Berg doesn't fit a typical big league profile, but his track record is hard to ignore. His fastball sits at 80-82 mph and tops out at 84 with serious armside run and sink, making him a groundball machine. That pitch is his calling card, but he complements it with a Frisbee slider that is effective against righties, and an occasional changeup against lefties. Scouts are skeptical that his stuff will play above Double-A, but he'll get a shot in pro ball and will have to prove himself at every level.