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Brian Baron and Eric Reece of the UCLA baseball team have agreed to contracts with professional ballclubs.

Baron signed with the Minnesota Twins late Monday night and Reece signed with Tampa Bay Devil Rays May 24.

Baron, a senior designated hitter, set the UCLA single-season batting average record this year, hitting .443 to surpass the mark of .428 established by Don Slaught in 1979. Although the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft will not be held until June 5, the Twins were able to sign Baron because they drafted him last year in the 46th round.

Upon agreeing to terms with Baron, the Twins assigned him to their high-A class minor league team in Fort Myers, Fla.

“Brian got a good deal,” UCLA Head Coach Gary Adams said. “It’s a great opportunity. He’s gonna be able to show he can hit at high-level A, then double-A, triple-A and the big leagues.”

Last week, Baron was named to the Louisville Slugger and Baseball Weekly First-Team All-America squads. Baron is also a semifinalist for both the Rotary Smith Award and Dick Howser Trophy, two national awards given to top players of the year.

Meanwhile, Reece, a senior first baseman, led the 2001 Bruins in home runs with 10. He batted .259 with 14 doubles and 44 RBIs.

As a fifth-year senior, Reece was eligible to sign with Tampa Bay as a free agent. He was assigned to the Devil Rays’ rookie club, the Hudson Valley Renegades.

Brief compiled by Dylan Hernandez, Daily Bruin Senior Staff.