Cubs 6th round pick Dave Berg joins Pelicans

ZEBULON, N.C. (JULY 4, 2015) - The Chicago Cubs announced on Saturday that the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, have received the Cubs sixth round pick from the 2015 draft, right-hander pitcher Dave Berg, from Class-A Short-Season Eugene. In a corresponding roster move, catcher and first baseman Cael Brockmeyer (pronounced "Kale") has been promoted to Double-A Tennessee.

Berg, 22, was the 173rd overall selection in the draft out of UCLA. In two professional appearances with Eugene, he has thrown 3 1/3 hitless and scoreless innings along with four strikeouts.

A six-foot-tall, 190 lb. sidewinding right-handed pitcher, Berg has his name sprinkled throughout the all-time NCAA record book as one of the most accomplished college baseball relievers in history. He has appeared in more games than any other pitcher in NCAA history (175 games) and set the single-season saves record of 24 in 2013. In 2012, Berg pitched in 50 games, which is tied for second-most in a season by any pitcher. In 2013, he broke his own single-season record and tied for first all-time with his 51st appearance in a college game. That same season, Berg was a member of the first Bruins team to win the College World Series Championship. The Bruins lost in the Regionals this season.

This year, Berg dominated once again, posting an 0.67 ERA in 43 outings with a 7-1 record. In his four seasons at UCLA, Berg compiled a record of 22-6 with a 1.11 ERA in 175 outings, all out of the pen. In 267.0 collegiate innings, the former Bishop Amat Lancer struck out 241 college hitters and walked just 44.

The accomplished reliever racked up a handful of collegiate awards and honors during his four-year run at UCLA as well. Berg was named first-team All-Pac-12 four times and is only the third player in the conference's history to accomplish the feat. Baseball America named Berg to their first-team All-America list twice and second-team once. Twice, he was named Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year, the first reliever to win the award in conference history, and became the first two-time winner of NCBWA's Stopper of the Year award. During his senior season this spring, Berg was a finalist for the Dick Howser Trophy and a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award.

With two summers on the USA National Collegiate team under his belt, the Covina, Calif., native was previously drafted in the 17th round by the Texas Rangers last year but returned to UCLA for his senior season before signing with the Cubs this year on June 18, just nine days after he was drafted.

In his third professional season, Brockmeyer, 23, came to the Pelicans after batting .274 with a team-leading 16 doubles and five homers as well as a triple in 63 games with South Bend. Prior to the promotion, Brockmeyer also ranked second on the club in RBI (33) and was tied for the third most runs scored (31). A six-foot, five-inch native of San Diego, Calif., Brockmeyer batted .083 (1-for-12) with the Pelicans, collecting three RBI, all on sacrifice flies in four games. Primarily a catcher, Brockmeyer has also played first base in 36 of 179 career games played, including 23 games this season. While with the Pelicans, the Midwest League midseason All-Star caught twice and served as the designated hitter twice.

The Cubs selected Brockmeyer in the sixteenth round of the 2013 MLB June Amateur Draft out of California State University, Bakersfield.

Brockmeyer joins a list of eight other Pelicans who have been promoted to Double-A this season: Starling Peralta, Matt Brazis, Jacob Hannemann, Gerardo Concepcion, Wes Darvill, Billy McKinney, Tayler Scott, and Zach Cates have all made the jump from Myrtle Beach to Tennessee this season. 

With the roster moves, the Pelicans' roster is at 25 active players, the Carolina League limit, and includes seven players on the disabled list.

The Pelicans begin a three-game road series against the Carolina Mudcats on Saturday. The first pitch from Five County Stadium is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET.

The 2015 season marks the 17th season for the Pelicans franchise and first as the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. For information on tickets to see the Pelicans in 2015, please call (843) 918-6000, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.MyrtleBeachPelicans.com.