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
Bush, Thornton picked on Day 2 of draft
7/10/2023 1:14:00 PM | Baseball
Grand Canyon junior outfielder Homer Bush Jr. and junior left-handed pitcher Zach Thornton were both selected on the second day of the 2023 MLB Draft on Monday.
Combined with the sixth overall selection of junior shortstop Jacob Wilson, the Lopes had three players picked in the draft's first five rounds for the first time in program history. GCU was one of only 14 programs to have three or more players selected in the first 160 picks.
Bush was a fourth-round pick (No. 128 overall) of the San Diego Padres.
Thornton went in the fifth round (No. 159 overall) to the New York Mets.
Combined with the sixth overall selection of junior shortstop Jacob Wilson, the Lopes had three players picked in the draft's first five rounds for the first time in program history. GCU was one of only 14 programs to have three or more players selected in the first 160 picks.
Bush was a fourth-round pick (No. 128 overall) of the San Diego Padres.
"What an incredible moment to hear Homer Bush Jr.'s name called in the MLB Draft," Lopes head coach Gregg Wallis said. "The ultimate team guy emerged into a premier prospect and today we get to celebrate him and his accomplishments. I truly believe the best is yet to come for Homer."
Bush compiled his best season as a Lopes junior in 2023, earning first-team All-WAC honors as an outfielder and a spot on the Academic All-America second team. He hit a career-best .370 and broke GCU's single-season D-I stolen-base record with 25.
San Diego selected a player from GCU for the first time since 1992. Bush's father, Homer Bush Sr., was picked by the club in the seventh round of the 1991 draft, although he never played for the Padres in his seven Big League seasons.
𝗛𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗥 𝗕𝗨𝗦𝗛 𝗝𝗥. 𝗧𝗢 𝗧𝗛𝗘 @Padres!
— Grand Canyon Baseball (@GCU_Baseball) July 10, 2023
The speedster is headed west to San Diego. 👏 #LopesInThePros pic.twitter.com/vKhJVIGB2m
Thornton went in the fifth round (No. 159 overall) to the New York Mets.
"Congratulations to Zach," Wallis said. "He made an instant impact in our program, and I'm so happy to see him rewarded today with an opportunity in pro ball. This kid is a competitor and I have no doubt he will attack professional baseball with the same grit and heart he showed every day during his time at GCU."
Thornton racked up nine wins on the hill in his lone season with the Lopes. In 88 1/3 innings of work, he struck out 91 while walking only 18. The lefty was an All-WAC second-team selection and a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy for the top player in college baseball.
The Mets have selected a left-handed Lopes pitcher for the second straight season after Eli Ankeney went in the 20th round.
𝗭𝗔𝗖𝗛 𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗥𝗡𝗧𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗢 𝗧𝗛𝗘 @Mets!
— Grand Canyon Baseball (@GCU_Baseball) July 10, 2023
The southpaw @ZThor22 goes in the 5th round to New York. 👏 #LopesInThePros pic.twitter.com/mHpqhK2DUK
Players Mentioned
LHP
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