/ STAFF WRITER
For the fourth time under Coach John Savage, a UCLA pitcher has been taken in the first round of the MLB Draft.
Junior right-hander James Kaprielian was selected by the New York Yankees on Monday with the No. 16 overall pick.
Kaprielian, who also pitched at Beckman High in Irvine, led the Pac-12 in strikeouts the past two seasons as a starter and had previously been a reliever on the Bruins’ 2013 team that won the NCAA championship.
He is the first UCLA pitcher to go in the first round since Gerrit Cole and Trevor Bauer were taken first and third overall in 2011.