Completed Event: Baseball versus San Diego State on March 28, 2026 , Loss , 11, to, 12
Baseball
vs San Diego State
L 11-12
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Talent showcased at Scout Night
10/28/2018 9:00:00 AM | Baseball
Scouts representing all 30 major league teams visit GCU Ballpark
The Grand Canyon baseball team hosted its annual Scout Night under the lights of Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark on Friday night.
The Lopes looked to impress professional scouts once again, something that has become a recurring theme for a program that has seen a player drafted in the past five MLB Drafts.
Four GCU players were drafted in June, representing the most in school history since 1996 when the draft was 100 rounds. Two additional players joined professional organizations last summer as free agents.
"One of our goals here at GCU is to develop a program where guys feel that they have an opportunity to play professional baseball," head coach Andy Stankiewicz said. "If our players are good enough to play at the next level, we will do whatever we can because our staff has a great relationship with scouts in the MLB."
The Lopes made their presence known in the spring with pitcher Jake Wong selected 80th overall by the San Francisco Giants. In the ensuing rounds, pitcher Mick Vohorf went to the New York Yankees, third baseman Zach Malis to the Detroit Tigers and first baseman Ian Evans to the Baltimore Orioles. Catcher Griffin Barnes and pitcher Ethan Evanko signed professional contracts with the Los Angeles Angels and Philadelphia Phillies, respectively.
"Since Stanky has gotten here, it's gone to another level," Chicago Cubs area scout Steve McFarland said. "They got to D-I which is great, but they've got the right guy in charge. He's really good for professional baseball because he's been there before and he's developed some players.
"They've got a good coaching staff and they've got a great facility now. From our standpoint, this is a good program, an up-and-coming program for us to scout, no doubt. There's a lot of good prospects out there."
In addition to his time playing professionally, Stankiewicz was also a manager in the minors, a scout for the New York Yankees and the minor league field coordinator for the Seattle Mariners.
Also on GCU's staff, pitching coach Rich Dorman played and coached in the Mariners organization. Volunteer assistant Paul Panaccione played in the Washington Nationals system. Strength coach Mike Henriques and athletic trainer Greg Spence each joined the GCU program directly from professional baseball.
GCU seems to have another promising crop of talent upcoming for 2019. Junior outfielder and reigning WAC Player of the Year Quin Cotton has garnered the most attention after being named an All-Star at the Cape Cod League and one of the league's top 40 draft prospects. Senior Austin Bull led his summer team with .418 on-base percentage, while senior Preston Pavlica led his team in stolen bases in the Northwoods League.
At Friday's event, the Lopes were able to showcase each of the five tools that a baseball player requires: speed, power, hitting for average, fielding and arm strength.
"You're looking for tools," McFarland said. "You see how many guys can run. It was pretty impressive tonight — the guys they have with plus speed. That gives you a green light on some of them. We've got a lot of history on some of these kids because they grew up in Arizona. They went to high school in Arizona. We make notes of everything and try to get as much out of it as we possibly can."
"First and foremost, our guys play for Grand Canyon University," Stankiewicz said. "But if the opportunity presents itself to play professional baseball, they can achieve that here at GCU."
The Lopes looked to impress professional scouts once again, something that has become a recurring theme for a program that has seen a player drafted in the past five MLB Drafts.
Four GCU players were drafted in June, representing the most in school history since 1996 when the draft was 100 rounds. Two additional players joined professional organizations last summer as free agents.
"One of our goals here at GCU is to develop a program where guys feel that they have an opportunity to play professional baseball," head coach Andy Stankiewicz said. "If our players are good enough to play at the next level, we will do whatever we can because our staff has a great relationship with scouts in the MLB."
The Lopes made their presence known in the spring with pitcher Jake Wong selected 80th overall by the San Francisco Giants. In the ensuing rounds, pitcher Mick Vohorf went to the New York Yankees, third baseman Zach Malis to the Detroit Tigers and first baseman Ian Evans to the Baltimore Orioles. Catcher Griffin Barnes and pitcher Ethan Evanko signed professional contracts with the Los Angeles Angels and Philadelphia Phillies, respectively.
"Since Stanky has gotten here, it's gone to another level," Chicago Cubs area scout Steve McFarland said. "They got to D-I which is great, but they've got the right guy in charge. He's really good for professional baseball because he's been there before and he's developed some players.
"They've got a good coaching staff and they've got a great facility now. From our standpoint, this is a good program, an up-and-coming program for us to scout, no doubt. There's a lot of good prospects out there."
In addition to his time playing professionally, Stankiewicz was also a manager in the minors, a scout for the New York Yankees and the minor league field coordinator for the Seattle Mariners.
Also on GCU's staff, pitching coach Rich Dorman played and coached in the Mariners organization. Volunteer assistant Paul Panaccione played in the Washington Nationals system. Strength coach Mike Henriques and athletic trainer Greg Spence each joined the GCU program directly from professional baseball.
GCU seems to have another promising crop of talent upcoming for 2019. Junior outfielder and reigning WAC Player of the Year Quin Cotton has garnered the most attention after being named an All-Star at the Cape Cod League and one of the league's top 40 draft prospects. Senior Austin Bull led his summer team with .418 on-base percentage, while senior Preston Pavlica led his team in stolen bases in the Northwoods League.
At Friday's event, the Lopes were able to showcase each of the five tools that a baseball player requires: speed, power, hitting for average, fielding and arm strength.
"You're looking for tools," McFarland said. "You see how many guys can run. It was pretty impressive tonight — the guys they have with plus speed. That gives you a green light on some of them. We've got a lot of history on some of these kids because they grew up in Arizona. They went to high school in Arizona. We make notes of everything and try to get as much out of it as we possibly can."
"First and foremost, our guys play for Grand Canyon University," Stankiewicz said. "But if the opportunity presents itself to play professional baseball, they can achieve that here at GCU."
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