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Cubs select Avitia in 12th round
7/16/2024 11:51:00 AM | Baseball
Program's D-I strikeouts leader picked by Chicago for 2nd time
Grand Canyon right-handed pitcher Daniel Avitia was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 12th round of the MLB Draft on Tuesday.
Avitia started 32 games in his three-year GCU career, is the program's Division I strikeouts leader (237) and was the WAC's Freshman of the Year and Pitcher of the Year in 2022.
"I'm super grateful for this opportunity," Avitia said. "It's every kid's dream to get drafted. I'm very excited for what's to come."
It's the second time Avitia has been drafted by the organization. Out of nearby Alhambra High School in Phoenix, the Cubs picked Avitia in the 19th round of the 2021 MLB Draft. Daniel's older brother David — a four-year Lopes catcher — signed with the Cubs as a free agent in 2022 and remains in the organization.
"We are extremely excited for Danny and his family," Lopes head coach Gregg Wallis said. "Danny has been our ace for three years and helped the program reach new heights in his time here. It feels great to see his hard work and accomplishments rewarded by the Chicago Cubs."
Avitia burst onto the scene as a freshman and was the WAC's first freshman to be named WAC Pitcher of the Year. He also was named a Freshman All-American. He was one of the leading arms on a GCU squad that compiled an at-large resume for the NCAA tournament.
He lowered his ERA to 3.92 as a sophomore in 2023 and posted a 7-1 record. As a junior in 2024, he battled injuries but still struck out 45 batters in 35 innings of work.
Avitia is the 108th draft pick in program history and follows on the heels of senior outfielder Tyler Wilson's selection in the eighth round on Monday.
Avitia joins a Cubs organization that has had a keen eye for GCU talent. Chicago drafted pitcher Frankie Scalzo in 2021 and Nick Hull in 2022. The Cubs also signed GCU alums David Avitia, Vince Reilly and Jake Wong in free agency. Daniel Avitia will become the fifth Lopes player who is active in the Cubs organization.
The eighth-round pick of Wilson and 12th-round pick of Avitia continued GCU's streak of selections in the MLB Draft to 11 consecutive years dating back to 2014.
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Avitia started 32 games in his three-year GCU career, is the program's Division I strikeouts leader (237) and was the WAC's Freshman of the Year and Pitcher of the Year in 2022.
"I'm super grateful for this opportunity," Avitia said. "It's every kid's dream to get drafted. I'm very excited for what's to come."
It's the second time Avitia has been drafted by the organization. Out of nearby Alhambra High School in Phoenix, the Cubs picked Avitia in the 19th round of the 2021 MLB Draft. Daniel's older brother David — a four-year Lopes catcher — signed with the Cubs as a free agent in 2022 and remains in the organization.
"We are extremely excited for Danny and his family," Lopes head coach Gregg Wallis said. "Danny has been our ace for three years and helped the program reach new heights in his time here. It feels great to see his hard work and accomplishments rewarded by the Chicago Cubs."
Avitia burst onto the scene as a freshman and was the WAC's first freshman to be named WAC Pitcher of the Year. He also was named a Freshman All-American. He was one of the leading arms on a GCU squad that compiled an at-large resume for the NCAA tournament.
He lowered his ERA to 3.92 as a sophomore in 2023 and posted a 7-1 record. As a junior in 2024, he battled injuries but still struck out 45 batters in 35 innings of work.
Avitia is the 108th draft pick in program history and follows on the heels of senior outfielder Tyler Wilson's selection in the eighth round on Monday.
Avitia joins a Cubs organization that has had a keen eye for GCU talent. Chicago drafted pitcher Frankie Scalzo in 2021 and Nick Hull in 2022. The Cubs also signed GCU alums David Avitia, Vince Reilly and Jake Wong in free agency. Daniel Avitia will become the fifth Lopes player who is active in the Cubs organization.
The eighth-round pick of Wilson and 12th-round pick of Avitia continued GCU's streak of selections in the MLB Draft to 11 consecutive years dating back to 2014.
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