UC Santa Barbara
2017: As a true freshman, made 14 appearances (eight) starts ... Recorded a 4-2 record and 3.99 ERA with 39 strikeouts over 58 2/3 innings ... Started eight of the team's final nine midweek contests ... Had the lowest ERA on the team among pitchers with at least 18 innings pitched as well as the squad's best winning percentage (.667) ... Walked just 1.99 batters per nine innings, the only Gaucho regular to finish with a sub-2.00 BB/9 ... Made his first career start on Mar. 19 against Stony Brook, taking the loss with four innings of three-run ball ... Went on to allow two earned runs or fewer in each of his next four starts ... Tied season highs in both innings (seven) and strikeouts (five) in his season finale against USC, an 11-2 UCSB win ... Arguably his best outing of the year came on Mar. 28 against Pepperdine, as he scattered five hits over seven innings and didn't allow an earned run in a 10-3 Gaucho triumph ... Pitched just four innings in Big West play ... Had a 2.95 ERA at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium ... Had a 2.65 ERA in March, his best single-month performance ... Team was 5-3 in his starts.
High School (2012-16): Played three varsity years at New Trier high school under head coach Mike Napoleon ... Selected in the 36th round of the 2016 MLB First-Year Player Draft by Baltimore ... As a senior, went 8-0 and allowed just two runs over 44 innings for a 0.31 ERA ... Struck out 74 batters for a 15.1 K/9 ratio ... Also lettered two years in basketball ... After his senior year, was named League Player of the Year and First Team All-State ... In his high school career, threw two no-hitters and a had a 15-strikeout game ... Won the League Championship in 2015 and 2016, won the Sectional Championship in 2016 ... Was a three-time academic honorable mention.
Personal: Benjamin Nathan Brecht was born on Jan. 7, 1998 to parents Kira and Tom in Evanston, Ill. ... Plans on majoring in communication ... Aspires to play professional baseball or be a consultant ... Roots for the Chicago Cubs ... Lists winning the section title for New Trier in 2016 as his most memorable pre-UCSB sporting moment ... Lists The Departed as his favorite flick ... The Road is his favorite book ... Calls Stephen King his favorite writer ... Listens to Migos and Jay-Z ... Likes to play basketball, ping pong, learn, and "win at stuff" in his free time... MLB southpaws Chris Sale and Rich Hill are his favorite athletes ... Watches Planet Earth, Game of Thrones, Westworld, and Silicon Valley.
