UC Santa Barbara pitcher Jackson Flora put together a great 2025 season with the Gauchos.
In 75 innings, he had a 3.60 ERA and 86 strikeouts. He also allowed an opposing batting average of just .209.
The junior right-hander’s best performance last season came on April 19 when he pitched a complete game shutout against the Cal Poly Mustangs. He also allowed just one hit in that outing.
Flora had a top ten ERA in the Big West conference and helped UC Santa Barbara achieve the best team ERA in the conference (3.92).
Flora was first-team All-Big West last season.
He is the big name to know in the Gauchos’ pitching rotation for 2026. Flora can be a big-time ace at the mid-major level of college baseball.
MLB Pipeline released its 2026 MLB Draft prospect rankings this week. Flora ranked high amongst other prospects at 14th.
He is the third-highest ranked collegiate pitcher behind Coastal Carolina’s Cam Flukey (No.9) and Florida’s Liam Peterson (No. 13).
UC Santa Barbara has had a history of highly drafted pitchers. Last year, Flora’s teammate, Tyler Bremner, was picked second overall by the Los Angeles Angels in the 2025 MLB Draft.
In the 2015 MLB Draft, former UC Santa Barbara pitcher Dillon Tate was selected fourth overall by the Texas Rangers.
Flora can be the next great UC Santa Barbara Gauchos pitcher to be a top-five or top-ten pick in the MLB Draft.
In 2025, the Gauchos finished the year 36-18 overall. They were also 16-14 in Big West play.
UC Santa Barbara missed out on playing in the NCAA Tournament after making it in 2024.
NCAA News: https://worldbaseball.com/league/ncaa/
PHOTO: UC Santa Barbara pitcher Jackson Flora (28) during an NCAA regional baseball game on Friday, May 31, 2024 in Santa Barbara, Calif. (AP Photo/John McCoy)
