Hughes drafted in first round of MLB Draft

SPOKANE — RHP Gabriel Hughes made Bulldog history on Sunday, becoming the highest drafted player in program history.

Hughes was drafted 10th overall by the Colorado Rockies in the first round of the MLB Draft on Sunday, becoming the third right-hander to come off the board in the process.

The 6-foot-4 pitcher finished his junior year with the Zags with an 8-3 record, 3.21 ERA and 138 strikeouts. His 138 strikeouts were the ninth-most in the country, and he led the Gonzaga pitching staff with 98 innings pitched. The Bulldogs won 11 of the 15 games that Hughes started in 2022.

As a result, Hughes was named an All-American by D1Baseball.com, Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and Baseball America. He was also a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award, given to the top amateur baseball player regardless of division. In 2022, the junior pitcher took home three West Coast Conference Pitcher of the Week awards and another Pitcher of the Week award by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association for a hitless six-inning performance against Pacific in mid-March.

Hughes’ move could be a short one to begin with, as the Rockies’ High-A affiliate team is the Spokane Indians in Spokane Valley.