BOISE, Idaho — In less than 24 hours, former Rocky Mountain High School baseball standout and Gonzaga ace Gabriel Hughes will likely here his name called in the MLB Draft.
MLB.com currently lists the right-handed pitcher as the No. 26-overall prospect among 2022 draft-eligible players. Hughes is hoping to join the short list of first-round picks out of Idaho on Sunday.
The former Grizzlies' star earned second team All-American honors this past season at Gonzaga. Hughes finished the season ninth in the nation with 138 strikeouts, while leading the team in innings pitched.
The Zags also won 11 of 15 games with Hughes on the mound.
Before the first round of the MLB Draft gets underway Sunday at 5 p.m., Hughes caught up with KTVB back in the Treasure Valley. The 20-year-old standout is feeling all of the emotions ahead of a life-changing weekend.
"I think every single thought in the world has been going through my mind the last week. This is an enormous weekend, there's no understating it. It's the weekend that feels like my whole baseball career led up to," Hughes said. "So, I'm excited, I'm nervous, I'm apprehensive, but most of all, I'm ready for that next step. I keep dreaming of that moment that my name gets called and I've been dreaming about that for a long time."
Hughes said he doesn't have any expectations as to when his name will be called or what team will select him Sunday. The Gonzaga ace is simply looking forward to the next step.
"I just wanna keep playing baseball and I want to go to a team that likes me as a player and a person," Hughes said. "So, I'm excited for it, I'm excited for that name, because I feel like that's the goal I've worked for, for so long."
The first round of the MLB Draft will be broadcast live on ESPN Sunday.
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