Trevor Bauer graduated high school a year early to enroll at UCLA and play ball for the Bruins in what should have been his senior year of high school. The big challenge proved to be no problem for Bauer though as he went 9-3 on the year with a 2.99 ERA, while pitching a team-high 105.1 innings. He struck out 92 batters in those 105.1 innings and walked only 27, earning him Pac-10 Freshman of the Year honors.

That wasn't all though. Today, Bauer was named National Freshman Pitcher of the Year by Collegiate Baseball and was joined on the All-Freshman team by his teammate, Gerrit Cole.

Right-hander Trevor Bauer of the UCLA baseball team has captured National Freshman Pitcher of the Year honors from Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and joins right-hander Gerrit Cole on the publication's Freshman All-America Team, as announced Wednesday.

Bauer, who has also secured 2009 Pac-10 Freshman of the Year honors, becomes the first pitcher in school history to have earned Collegiate Baseball's National Freshman Pitcher of the Year accolades.

Bauer and Cole become the first duo of UCLA players to secure Freshman All-America honors since 1998, when the national publication honored infielders Garrett Atkins and Chase Utley on its Freshman All-America team.

While Bauer's numbers were outstanding, his numbers after moving from the closer's role to a starting role are even better. As a starter, Bauer went 7-0 with a 4.16 ERA, while holding opposing batters to a .217 batting average. In his last four starts, the only non-complete game Bauer had was versus Cal St. Fullerton when he went nine innings before the Bruins lost in extra innings.

Cole had some awfully impressive numbers himself. The freshman, who famously became the first player in years to go to college even after being drafted in the first round, lived up to expectations with a strong season.

Cole finished his freshman season with a 4-8 record and 3.49 ERA, compiling a team-best 104 strikeouts and 38 walks in 85.0 innings. The right-hander from Santa Ana, Calif., currently ranks second in the Pac-10 in opponent batting average (.191) and third in strikeouts (104). In his seven losses as a starting pitcher, he recorded a 3.50 ERA and .193 opponent batting average, as the Bruins' offense managed just 2.0 runs per game.

Bauer and Cole provide the Bruins building blocks in the rotation for the next two years. With those two throwing on Fridays and Saturdays, UCLA will be tough to beat. Both will take part in the USA National Team Trials this month and if they're chose, will play with the national team this summer. If they are not chosen for the team, they will head to the Cape Cod League for the summer.

I'll take a look at the future of the UCLA baseball program tomorrow and will provide a list of where the Bruins are playing this summer when more of it becomes available. In the meantime, check out my UCLA baseball twitter for all the Bruin baseball info you could want. I'm sitting on some good info about next year's schedule, recruits, etc. that I usually post on there before I get to flesh it all out in a post so check it out.