Jul. 1—Former Gonzaga and Spokane Indians pitcher Gabriel Hughes was called up to make his MLB debut by the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday. Hughes will be the 33rd Gonzaga alum to appear in the majors.
Hughes is 2-1 with a 5.31 ERA in nine appearances with Triple-A Albuquerque this season overall, but in 15 2/3 innings over three starts since returning from a muscle injury on his side he has allowed no runs and struck out 16 while giving up just four hits and five walks.
Earlier this season Hughes, 25, made a two-start rehab appearance with the Indians. He threw a total of six innings and allowed no runs on two hits and three walks with 10 strikeouts.
"It's nice knowing that I'm on the cusp," he told The Spokesman-Review in early June. "But obviously I'm not where I want to end up. There is still more that I want to accomplish in this game."
Hughes was a star player for the Zags from 2020-22, earning first team all-American honors in his junior year after recording 138 strikeouts, the second highest total in a single season by a Gonzaga pitcher. He was selected in the first round of the 2022 MLB draft by the Rockies, making history as the highest drafted player in Gonzaga history when he was selected 10th overall.