David Berg (pitcher)

College career

Berg was recruited only by UC Irvine and UCLA, and he walked on to the Bruins team. As a freshman in 2012, he set Bruins and Pac-12 records for appearances while working in middle relief. The next year, as the closer, he went 7–0 with 21 saves and a 0.88 ERA during the regular season, tying for the best ERA in college baseball. He was named Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year, a finalist for the National Pitcher of the Year Award, and won the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award.

He also played for the United States national collegiate baseball team in 2012 and 2013. In the 2013 NCAA tournament, Berg helped UCLA reach the College World Series championship against Mississippi State. On June 24, 2013, he set a new NCAA single-season record with his 24th save and became the first pitcher to make 50 or more appearances in two seasons. The Bruins won the national title, and Berg was named to the All-West Region team.

A biceps strain cost him time in his junior year, but he finished with a 1.50 ERA and 11 saves. The Texas Rangers drafted him in the 17th round of the 2014 MLB draft, but he did not sign and returned to UCLA. On May 15, 2015, he combined with James Kaprielian for the first no-hitter in UCLA history, pitching the tenth inning after Kaprielian threw nine. Berg finished his senior season with a 0.68 ERA and 13 saves in 43 appearances, winning his second Stopper of the Year Award.

Professional career

The Chicago Cubs picked David Berg in the sixth round of the 2015 draft. That year he played for the Eugene Emeralds and Myrtle Beach Pelicans, finishing with a 2-1 record and a 1.40 ERA.

In 2016 he appeared for Myrtle Beach and the Tennessee Smokies, going 4-4 with a 5.17 ERA across 43 games. The next season he split time between Tennessee, Myrtle Beach, and the Iowa Cubs, posting a 4-4 record and 5.16 ERA with a 1.38 WHIP over a career-high 61 innings. Chicago released him on March 27, 2018.

Post-playing career

After a stint as a graduate assistant in 2019, Berg moved through UCLA’s baseball program, serving as director of operations and then as a volunteer assistant coach. He became a full-time assistant in August 2023. However, that October he was suspended and fined for slapping a player at a team dinner, and he left the school following the 2024 season.

Did You Know?

• Berg attended Bishop Amat Memorial High School in La Puente, California, where he learned the sidearm delivery as a middle relief pitcher.
• He led his high school baseball team to the sectional championship.