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Staff gets pro experience with Fitta, Wilson
6/13/2026 9:55:00 AM | Baseball
Fitta brings professional hitting development background; Wilson returns to Lopes with 12 years of MLB experience
Grand Canyon head baseball coach Steve Bieser announced the additions of Travis Fitta and Jack Wilson, further building a Lopes staff with professional player-development experience, Major League credibility and ties to GCU.
Fitta joins GCU as its hitting coach after working as a hitting coach in the Washington Nationals organization, where he was responsible for the day-to-day development of Triple-A hitters with the Rochester Red Wings. Wilson returns to the Lopes in the role of director of program development after coaching at GCU during the 2023 season and spending the past two summers as an Appalachian League manager.
Bieser continues building a staff that already includes associate head coach and recruiting coordinator Tyler Packanik and pitching coach Ryan Kramer.
"Travis and Jack are tremendous additions to our staff because they both bring experience at the professional level, elite-level teaching and a clear passion for developing players," Bieser said. "Travis has built a reputation as one of the sharp, forward-thinking hitting minds in player development, and Jack has lived the game at the highest level while maintaining a deep connection to GCU. They are both high-character baseball people who will pour into our players and help us build the championship culture we expect here."
Fitta spent the 2026 season in the Nationals organization as a Triple-A hitting coach. In that role, he worked directly with 40-man roster players and high-level prospects while managing individualized player-development plans, providing in-game coaching and adjustments, preparing scouting reports and leading advance meetings.
Before joining Washington, Fitta worked at Driveline Baseball from 2023 to 2026, serving as senior hitting trainer at the organization's Arizona facility before becoming hitting coordinator at Driveline's Tampa, Florida, facility. He oversaw hitting development for athletes ranging from MLB and Minor League players to college and high school hitters. His work included advanced hitting assessments, swing profiling, batted-ball analysis, biomechanics evaluations and individualized athlete programming.
Prior to Driveline, Fitta served as director of player development and director of hitting at Ascent Athlete in Pennsylvania, producing 14 MLB Draft picks and 48 college commits. He also spent time with the Chicago Cubs organization as a Minor League hitting coach. He was responsible for the hitting development of Cubs Minor League hitters across multiple levels. His college experience includes a stint as Ohio's director of hitting development in 2019.
Before beginning his baseball development career, Fitta served in the U.S. Army from 2009 to 2015 as an infantryman.
"My family and I couldn't be more excited for the opportunity to join the GCU Baseball family," Fitta said. "This is a premier program primed to become the epitome of excellence in college baseball. I am pumped to get to Phoenix and get to work building a championship team with those players and staff."
Wilson returns to GCU after previously serving as an assistant coach during the 2023 season, when the Lopes won their third consecutive WAC regular-season championship. Wilson worked with GCU's hitters and infielders, helping the Lopes post a .389 on-base percentage — the program's best mark since 2011. In his role on Bieser's staff, he will assist in all areas of the program including player evaluation, skill development, recruiting support, student-athlete well-being and general program improvements and planning.
Since his first stint with the Lopes, Wilson spent the summers of 2024 and 2025 as manager of the Greeneville Flyboys in the Appalachian League, leading the club to two postseason appearances, including a 2024 West Division title and the franchise's first Appalachian League Championship appearance since 2021.
Wilson brings one of the most decorated playing resumes in college baseball coaching. A 12-year MLB veteran, Wilson played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Seattle Mariners and Atlanta Braves after being selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the ninth round of the 1998 MLB Draft. Wilson made his MLB debut with Pittsburgh in 2001 and spent nine seasons with the Pirates. His best season came in 2004, when he hit .308 with 201 hits and earned MLB All-Star and Silver Slugger honors. He appeared in 1,370 career MLB games and totaled 1,294 hits. Known as one of baseball's top defensive shortstops during his career, Wilson was selected for the Pirates Hall of Fame in 2026.
Wilson originally joined GCU's staff in July 2022 after building an extensive coaching background following his playing career. He served as head coach at Thousand Oaks High School from 2017 to 2021, compiling a 98-30-1 record. His Thousand Oaks teams featured multiple future Lopes, including his son, Jacob Wilson. Jack later coached Jacob at GCU during the 2023 season before Jacob was selected sixth overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, reached the major leagues and became a 2025 MLB All-Star.
Wilson also has been heavily involved with USA Baseball. He served on the coaching staff for the 18U National Team, worked as the team's third-base coach during a gold-medal run at the Baseball World Cup and served as a roving instructor for the 16U/17U National Team Development Program. He also served as a head coach for USA Baseball Trials and the National Team Development Program in 2019.
"I'm honored and excited to return to GCU Baseball," Wilson said. "Coach Bieser's vision for the future of the program and the culture he's building made me eager to come back. I'm grateful for the opportunity and excited for what's ahead."
Wilson graduated from GCU in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in sports management, fulfilling a long-term goal of earning his degree with an eye toward coaching college baseball.
The additions of Fitta and Wilson continue the construction of Bieser's first GCU staff. Bieser was hired after building Jacksonville State into a top-25 program and leading the Gamecocks to 48 wins, Conference USA regular-season and tournament championships and an NCAA Regional final in 2026.
Fitta joins GCU as its hitting coach after working as a hitting coach in the Washington Nationals organization, where he was responsible for the day-to-day development of Triple-A hitters with the Rochester Red Wings. Wilson returns to the Lopes in the role of director of program development after coaching at GCU during the 2023 season and spending the past two summers as an Appalachian League manager.
Bieser continues building a staff that already includes associate head coach and recruiting coordinator Tyler Packanik and pitching coach Ryan Kramer.
"Travis and Jack are tremendous additions to our staff because they both bring experience at the professional level, elite-level teaching and a clear passion for developing players," Bieser said. "Travis has built a reputation as one of the sharp, forward-thinking hitting minds in player development, and Jack has lived the game at the highest level while maintaining a deep connection to GCU. They are both high-character baseball people who will pour into our players and help us build the championship culture we expect here."
Fitta spent the 2026 season in the Nationals organization as a Triple-A hitting coach. In that role, he worked directly with 40-man roster players and high-level prospects while managing individualized player-development plans, providing in-game coaching and adjustments, preparing scouting reports and leading advance meetings.Before joining Washington, Fitta worked at Driveline Baseball from 2023 to 2026, serving as senior hitting trainer at the organization's Arizona facility before becoming hitting coordinator at Driveline's Tampa, Florida, facility. He oversaw hitting development for athletes ranging from MLB and Minor League players to college and high school hitters. His work included advanced hitting assessments, swing profiling, batted-ball analysis, biomechanics evaluations and individualized athlete programming.
Prior to Driveline, Fitta served as director of player development and director of hitting at Ascent Athlete in Pennsylvania, producing 14 MLB Draft picks and 48 college commits. He also spent time with the Chicago Cubs organization as a Minor League hitting coach. He was responsible for the hitting development of Cubs Minor League hitters across multiple levels. His college experience includes a stint as Ohio's director of hitting development in 2019.
Before beginning his baseball development career, Fitta served in the U.S. Army from 2009 to 2015 as an infantryman.
"My family and I couldn't be more excited for the opportunity to join the GCU Baseball family," Fitta said. "This is a premier program primed to become the epitome of excellence in college baseball. I am pumped to get to Phoenix and get to work building a championship team with those players and staff."
Wilson returns to GCU after previously serving as an assistant coach during the 2023 season, when the Lopes won their third consecutive WAC regular-season championship. Wilson worked with GCU's hitters and infielders, helping the Lopes post a .389 on-base percentage — the program's best mark since 2011. In his role on Bieser's staff, he will assist in all areas of the program including player evaluation, skill development, recruiting support, student-athlete well-being and general program improvements and planning.Since his first stint with the Lopes, Wilson spent the summers of 2024 and 2025 as manager of the Greeneville Flyboys in the Appalachian League, leading the club to two postseason appearances, including a 2024 West Division title and the franchise's first Appalachian League Championship appearance since 2021.
Wilson brings one of the most decorated playing resumes in college baseball coaching. A 12-year MLB veteran, Wilson played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Seattle Mariners and Atlanta Braves after being selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the ninth round of the 1998 MLB Draft. Wilson made his MLB debut with Pittsburgh in 2001 and spent nine seasons with the Pirates. His best season came in 2004, when he hit .308 with 201 hits and earned MLB All-Star and Silver Slugger honors. He appeared in 1,370 career MLB games and totaled 1,294 hits. Known as one of baseball's top defensive shortstops during his career, Wilson was selected for the Pirates Hall of Fame in 2026.
Wilson originally joined GCU's staff in July 2022 after building an extensive coaching background following his playing career. He served as head coach at Thousand Oaks High School from 2017 to 2021, compiling a 98-30-1 record. His Thousand Oaks teams featured multiple future Lopes, including his son, Jacob Wilson. Jack later coached Jacob at GCU during the 2023 season before Jacob was selected sixth overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, reached the major leagues and became a 2025 MLB All-Star.
Wilson also has been heavily involved with USA Baseball. He served on the coaching staff for the 18U National Team, worked as the team's third-base coach during a gold-medal run at the Baseball World Cup and served as a roving instructor for the 16U/17U National Team Development Program. He also served as a head coach for USA Baseball Trials and the National Team Development Program in 2019.
"I'm honored and excited to return to GCU Baseball," Wilson said. "Coach Bieser's vision for the future of the program and the culture he's building made me eager to come back. I'm grateful for the opportunity and excited for what's ahead."
Wilson graduated from GCU in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in sports management, fulfilling a long-term goal of earning his degree with an eye toward coaching college baseball.
The additions of Fitta and Wilson continue the construction of Bieser's first GCU staff. Bieser was hired after building Jacksonville State into a top-25 program and leading the Gamecocks to 48 wins, Conference USA regular-season and tournament championships and an NCAA Regional final in 2026.
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