Completed Event: Baseball versus San Diego State on March 29, 2026 , Loss , 2, to, 7
Baseball
vs San Diego State
L 2-7
Grand Canyon University Athletics
GCU matches best with 5 drafted
6/5/2019 4:30:00 PM | Baseball
4 Lopes picked on draft's 3rd day
Following an eighth-round pick of outfielder Quin Cotton on Tuesday, four more Grand Canyon players were selected Wednesday on the final day of the MLB Draft. The five-player total matched the program's most picks in one MLB Draft.
Junior outfielder Kona Quiggle was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the 16th round. Senior outfielder Preston Pavlica completed GCU's outfield sweep, going to the Houston Astros in the 24th round. Senior third baseman Tyler Wyatt was a 31st-round choice of the San Francisco Giants. Junior pitcher Kade Mechals went in the 40th round to the Miami Marlins.
GCU's five selections tied the program's single-draft high, matching the 1988, 1989 and 1996 totals from drafts that were in excess of 40 rounds.
Additionally, three GCU commits were selected in the draft. Glendale Community College pitcher Dawson McCarville went in the 30th round to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Arizona high school pitchers Shane Murphy (31st round to Philadelphia) and Luke Bell (34th round to Arizona) were also picked.
GCU once again led the WAC for number of selections with Sacramento State and CSU Bakersfield each having three draftees. New Mexico State and California Baptist each featured two picks, while UT Rio Grande Valley, Utah Valley and Seattle U had one player drafted apiece.
Quiggle's stock soared in a breakout junior season in which he led GCU and tied for fifth in the WAC with 12 home runs, the most by a GCU player since Matt Henne in 2005. He ended the season ranked as a top-100 hitting prospect among college players by D1Baseball.com. Quiggle earned second-team All-WAC honors and hit a pair of homers in the WAC Tournament to land on the All-Tournament team. He is set to join 2018 draftee Zach Malis as Lopes in the Tigers system and was Detroit's fifth selection of a GCU player all-time.
"This was always the dream," Quiggle said. "Now being able to go and live that dream is very surreal. There's so many people I have to thank, but no one takes the spotlight over my old man. He's always been my biggest fan and today was just as special for him as it was for me."
Pavlica presents a coveted combination of speed and power to go along with impressive defense in center field. He earned All-WAC honors for the first time in his career, landing on the second team as an outfielder. The Las Vegas, Nev., native tied for second on the team with 11 home runs, one off of Quiggle's team-leading pace. Pavlica led the conference with 22 stolen bases, tying Andrew McCormick's 1995 record for most in a Division I season at GCU. He was the Astros' third pick of a GCU player all-time and first since 1982.
Wyatt was the ultimate representation of versatility in his four seasons in the Lopes program. As a senior, he was a sure-handed third baseman that hit for power and drove in runs. Wyatt was named a first-teamer in All-WAC voting for the third consecutive season, joining an exclusive list of only four players who have been honored on three straight All-WAC first teams over the past decade. He finished in the conference's top 10 with 50 RBIs and 12 stolen bases while developing the power to hit eight home runs after having two through his first three seasons. Wyatt becomes the 10th San Francisco selection of a GCU player, joining 2018 draftee Jake Wong in the Giants' system.
"I want to thank the whole staff at GCU, my family, my friends, all of my coaches and all of my teammates for helping me become the person and player I am today," Wyatt said. "I did not get here by myself and I couldn't be where I am today without any of them. This is a lifelong dream that has now become a reality."
Mechals arrived on the GCU campus last fall, quickly and aptly taking on the role as staff ace. Going 11-1 with a shiny 2.16 ERA, Mechals was the nation's co-leader in victories prior to the start of the NCAA tournament. The right-hander led the WAC in opponent batting average (.193) and was second in strikeouts (100) and ERA. He was the first GCU pitcher to earn All-WAC first-team honors since 2014 and tied the program's Division I mark for wins and set the program's Division I ERA mark. Mechals becomes the second GCU player to be picked by the Marlins organization.
Next, GCU's picks enter signing negotiations with the team that drafted them. If and when the two sides come to an agreement, the player will be sent to the team's spring training facility before being assigned to a minor league stop.
Junior outfielder Kona Quiggle was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the 16th round. Senior outfielder Preston Pavlica completed GCU's outfield sweep, going to the Houston Astros in the 24th round. Senior third baseman Tyler Wyatt was a 31st-round choice of the San Francisco Giants. Junior pitcher Kade Mechals went in the 40th round to the Miami Marlins.
GCU's five selections tied the program's single-draft high, matching the 1988, 1989 and 1996 totals from drafts that were in excess of 40 rounds.
Additionally, three GCU commits were selected in the draft. Glendale Community College pitcher Dawson McCarville went in the 30th round to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Arizona high school pitchers Shane Murphy (31st round to Philadelphia) and Luke Bell (34th round to Arizona) were also picked.
GCU once again led the WAC for number of selections with Sacramento State and CSU Bakersfield each having three draftees. New Mexico State and California Baptist each featured two picks, while UT Rio Grande Valley, Utah Valley and Seattle U had one player drafted apiece.
Quiggle's stock soared in a breakout junior season in which he led GCU and tied for fifth in the WAC with 12 home runs, the most by a GCU player since Matt Henne in 2005. He ended the season ranked as a top-100 hitting prospect among college players by D1Baseball.com. Quiggle earned second-team All-WAC honors and hit a pair of homers in the WAC Tournament to land on the All-Tournament team. He is set to join 2018 draftee Zach Malis as Lopes in the Tigers system and was Detroit's fifth selection of a GCU player all-time.
"This was always the dream," Quiggle said. "Now being able to go and live that dream is very surreal. There's so many people I have to thank, but no one takes the spotlight over my old man. He's always been my biggest fan and today was just as special for him as it was for me."
There goes Kona! The @tigers pick @kona_quiggle. #LopesInThePros pic.twitter.com/4Vd1z8QhXQ
— GCU Baseball (@GCU_Baseball) June 5, 2019
Pavlica presents a coveted combination of speed and power to go along with impressive defense in center field. He earned All-WAC honors for the first time in his career, landing on the second team as an outfielder. The Las Vegas, Nev., native tied for second on the team with 11 home runs, one off of Quiggle's team-leading pace. Pavlica led the conference with 22 stolen bases, tying Andrew McCormick's 1995 record for most in a Division I season at GCU. He was the Astros' third pick of a GCU player all-time and first since 1982.
.@CallMePav and his diving catches are headed to the @astros! #LopesInThePros pic.twitter.com/5H61ERj32S
— GCU Baseball (@GCU_Baseball) June 5, 2019
Wyatt was the ultimate representation of versatility in his four seasons in the Lopes program. As a senior, he was a sure-handed third baseman that hit for power and drove in runs. Wyatt was named a first-teamer in All-WAC voting for the third consecutive season, joining an exclusive list of only four players who have been honored on three straight All-WAC first teams over the past decade. He finished in the conference's top 10 with 50 RBIs and 12 stolen bases while developing the power to hit eight home runs after having two through his first three seasons. Wyatt becomes the 10th San Francisco selection of a GCU player, joining 2018 draftee Jake Wong in the Giants' system.
"I want to thank the whole staff at GCU, my family, my friends, all of my coaches and all of my teammates for helping me become the person and player I am today," Wyatt said. "I did not get here by myself and I couldn't be where I am today without any of them. This is a lifelong dream that has now become a reality."
Big time! Tyler Wyatt headed to the @SFGiants. @Juicy_Mouth_ #LopesInThePros pic.twitter.com/akv06MzJ6W
— GCU Baseball (@GCU_Baseball) June 5, 2019
Mechals arrived on the GCU campus last fall, quickly and aptly taking on the role as staff ace. Going 11-1 with a shiny 2.16 ERA, Mechals was the nation's co-leader in victories prior to the start of the NCAA tournament. The right-hander led the WAC in opponent batting average (.193) and was second in strikeouts (100) and ERA. He was the first GCU pitcher to earn All-WAC first-team honors since 2014 and tied the program's Division I mark for wins and set the program's Division I ERA mark. Mechals becomes the second GCU player to be picked by the Marlins organization.
.@kade_tha_made: a pick of the @Marlins! pic.twitter.com/EGbzNikvCG
— GCU Baseball (@GCU_Baseball) June 5, 2019
Next, GCU's picks enter signing negotiations with the team that drafted them. If and when the two sides come to an agreement, the player will be sent to the team's spring training facility before being assigned to a minor league stop.
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