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Will Rudy delivers a pitch for Cal Poly Pomona this season. (Photo courtesy Cal Poly Pomona athletic comunications, Will G. MacNeil).
Former Woodbridge High School baseball star Will Rudy, who had a sensational season at Cal Poly Pomona, was selected in the fifth round Monday by the Milwaukee Brewers in the Major League Draft.
Rudy,a right-handed pitcher, was selected as the 162nd pick overall.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic which haulted Cal Poly’s season one season and cancelled another, Rudy played just one full season with the Broncos.
“Will is in the process of going through the Brewers’ due diligence,” said his father Phil on Tuesday. “Once that is completed he will sign with them.”
Rudy played this summer in the Cape Cod League for the Y-D Red Sox.
“As a family, we are extremely proud of all of the hard work and commitment Will has shown throughout his baseball life,” Phil Rudy said. “He owes a lot to all of the coaches and teammates who gave him an incredible baseball IQ. Including: Irvine Pony, OC Sun Devils Baseball travel ball, ROX Baseball travel ball, Woodbridge High School Baseball, Cal Poly Pomona University baseball and Chapman Baseball Compound.
“We cannot wait to watch him as he competes and progresses through the MLB’s minor-league system. We feel incredibly blessed.”
At Cal Poly Pomona Pomona last season, Rudy was the first Cal Poly player since 2016 to earn All-America honors and was the top pitcher on the staff, leading Cal Poly to a second-place finish in the CCAA, a conference championship and an appearance in the NCAA West regionals.
Rudy, who was also named the conference’s most valuable pitcher this season, was third in the CCAA in ERA (3.10), and led the league in wins (eight) and strikeouts (96).
He also notched 12 strikeouts in two games. One of those games was a 1-hit shutout vs. Sonoma State. Rudy is the 86th Cal Poly Pomona player to be selected in the MLB draft, athletic officials added.
Rudy was also recognized as a CCA spring All-American and was named to the America Baseball Coaches Association NCAA Division II All-America third team.
Rudy, who graduated from Woodbridge in 2019, had a stellar career with the Warriors as a three-year starter at shortstop. He won the JV team’s best offensive player award as a freshman, earned the team’s rookie of the year award as a sophomore and received the coach’s award as a senior. He was a first team all-PCL player as a junior.
“Will has worked extremely hard throughout the course of his career to make himself a draftable player,” said Woodbridge Coach Ryan Brucker.
“This past season at Cal Poly Pomona he was an All-American, and being drafted in the fifth round is another result of the hard work he’s put in. The fact that he was drafted so high speaks volumes to who Will is as a person, and his work ethic. He committed to Cal Poly Pomona during his senior year at Woodbridge in 2019.
“When the pandemic hit in 2020 they were like 16 games into the season when it was shut down. Then the CCAA decided not to play at all in 2021. So for Will to keep himself in shape and work on his craft without playing in a competitive game for almost two years is truly remarkable. We couldn’t be more proud of Will and wish him nothing but the best as a pro.”
(Tyler Lobe, assistant athletic director/communications with Cal Poly Pomona contributed to this story).
—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com
