Junior Jarrod Hocking has committed to play baseball at UCLA. The Friars’ outfielder shared, “There were a lot of pros to UCLA but what I liked most about the school was the location and the education. Being close to home means that I will always have family watching me play while receiving an education from UCLA will set me up for the future.”
Hocking went on to say, “The coaching staff was what stood out to me about the baseball program. I had great talks with them and was able to create good relationships. UCLA also has a reputation for consistently being one of the best baseball programs on the west coast. I believe that the PAC 12 is also one of the best baseball conferences in the country so being able to compete against some of the top teams nationwide will be fun.”
A three-year varsity letterman for the Friars by the time he graduates, Hocking was having a great start to his sophomore campaign before COVID-19 ended the 2020 season. Through 11 games he was hitting .345 with a team-high eight RBIs and nine runs scored.
Coach Shawn Gilbert shared, “We are proud of Jarrod and his commitment to UCLA. He has worked hard since he stepped on campus. He is a player that has continually gotten better each year and was one of our best, most consistent players last season. Jarrod switched from infield to outfield and quickly became our most improved player. He has the skills to play any of the three outfield positions which makes him incredibly valuable.”
Gilbert continued, “Jarrod is a fast, strong player that puts good at bats together on the offensive side of the ball. As part of a talented junior class, we look forward to him being a major part of our team the next two years and are excited about the strides he has made and will make as both a student-athlete and team leader.”
Hocking is the third Servite baseball player from the class of 2022 to commit to play collegiately joining Trevor Schmidt (Arizona) and Chris Grothues who is also headed to Westwood to play for the Bruins.
In closing, Hocking added, “I would like to thank the Servite baseball coaching staff for having faith in me and always being honest with me. I would also like to thank my family for helping me through times where I faced adversity and for their continuous support. Go Bruins!”
Servite would like to congratulate Jarrod on his commitment and wish him the best as he concludes his high school career and looks toward college!
