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Frey, Ahern selected in MLB Draft
7/12/2026 4:25:00 PM | Baseball
Red Sox take All-MW lefty in 15th round; Yankees select right-hander in 16th as GCU extends draft streak
Grand Canyon's pitching pipeline led to both sides of the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry Sunday, with two Lopes arms selected in the 2026 MLB Draft.
Junior left-handed pitcher Chase Frey was picked by the Boston Red Sox in the 15th round with the 454th overall selection, and junior right-handed pitcher Garrett Ahern was taken by the New York Yankees in the 16th round with the 488th overall pick.
The selections extended GCU's streak to 13 consecutive drafts with at least one player picked, giving the program 32 MLB Draft selections since 2014.
Frey became the first Lopes player drafted by the Red Sox since Chad De La Guerra in 2015, while Ahern became GCU's fourth Yankees draft selection since 2018, joining Mick Vorhof in 2018, Tayler Aguilar in 2022 and Tyler Wilson in 2024.
To view GCU's extensive history in professional baseball, click here.
Frey's one GCU season led to All-Mountain West Second Team honors after leading GCU in innings pitched, strikeouts, complete games, WHIP, opponent batting average and strikeout-to-walk ratio. He finished the season with 67 2/3 innings, 69 strikeouts, a 1.14 WHIP, a .227 opponent batting average and a 4.06 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Frey ranked 68th nationally and first in the Mountain West in WHIP, 72nd nationally and first in the conference in strikeout-to-walk ratio, and 96th nationally and second in the MW in walks allowed per nine innings at 2.26. His .227 opponent batting average tied for fourth in GCU's Division I history and tied for seventh in program history among pitchers with at least 50 innings.
His signature performance came April 3 at Fresno State, when he threw a nine-inning complete-game shutout in a 3-0 GCU win. Frey struck out eight and allowed only two hits, delivering the Lopes' first nine-inning complete-game shutout since Connor Mattison's no-hitter on March 29, 2024. One week later against UNLV, Frey worked 8 2/3 innings of one-run baseball and struck out 14, tying the most strikeouts by a GCU pitcher since the program returned to Division I in 2014. The 14-strikeout outing was the most by any Mountain West pitcher during the 2026 season and extended Frey's scoreless streak to 17 innings at the time.
Before arriving at GCU, Frey pitched at College of Southern Nevada and Shoreline Community College.
Ahern's selection by the Yankees capped a three-year GCU career that included steady development from freshman contributor to weekend starter to late-season difference-maker.
The Gilbert, Arizona, native made 11 appearances with 10 starts in 2026, going 2-3 with a 5.05 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 46 1/3 innings. In Mountain West games, Ahern ranked among the conference leaders in fewest runs allowed, fewest walks allowed, fewest earned runs allowed, fewest hits allowed, ERA and opponent batting average.
His final college appearance was one of his best. With GCU facing a do-or-die game at Nevada on May 15, Ahern moved from his scheduled start the next day into a long-relief role and delivered six scoreless innings. He scattered four hits and one walk, struck out six, did not allow an extra-base hit and threw 55 strikes on 84 pitches to help the Lopes win 12-7 and stay alive in the race for the Mountain West Championship. The performance earned Ahern Mountain West Pitcher of the Week honors on May 18.
Ahern also opened the 2026 season with five shutout innings in a 10-0 win over Northeastern on Opening Night, striking out five without issuing a walk. He added six innings of one-run baseball with no walks at Washington State on March 22 and returned from a late-season absence with two scoreless innings at San José State on May 3.
In 2025, Ahern was one of two GCU pitchers to make a start on all 15 weekends. He tied for the team lead and ranked fourth in the WAC with six wins, while ranking second on the team in innings pitched and strikeouts. His 83 strikeouts ranked fifth in the WAC and 11th in GCU's Division I era, while his 9.79 strikeouts per nine innings ranked fifth in the program's D-I history.
As a freshman in 2024, Ahern went 4-0, marking the most wins by a GCU pitcher without a loss since Jack Schneider went 7-0 and AJ Franks went 4-0 in 2017. His role grew throughout the season, with more than 80% of his innings coming after April 5. He picked up his first career win against Arizona State and later added victories against Utah Tech, Washington and Utah Valley.
Other draft notes:
Junior left-handed pitcher Chase Frey was picked by the Boston Red Sox in the 15th round with the 454th overall selection, and junior right-handed pitcher Garrett Ahern was taken by the New York Yankees in the 16th round with the 488th overall pick.
The selections extended GCU's streak to 13 consecutive drafts with at least one player picked, giving the program 32 MLB Draft selections since 2014.
Frey became the first Lopes player drafted by the Red Sox since Chad De La Guerra in 2015, while Ahern became GCU's fourth Yankees draft selection since 2018, joining Mick Vorhof in 2018, Tayler Aguilar in 2022 and Tyler Wilson in 2024.
To view GCU's extensive history in professional baseball, click here.
2026 DRAFT SELECTIONS |
CHASE FREY
Left-handed pitcher - junior - Red Sox - 15th round - 454th overall
Frey's one GCU season led to All-Mountain West Second Team honors after leading GCU in innings pitched, strikeouts, complete games, WHIP, opponent batting average and strikeout-to-walk ratio. He finished the season with 67 2/3 innings, 69 strikeouts, a 1.14 WHIP, a .227 opponent batting average and a 4.06 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Frey ranked 68th nationally and first in the Mountain West in WHIP, 72nd nationally and first in the conference in strikeout-to-walk ratio, and 96th nationally and second in the MW in walks allowed per nine innings at 2.26. His .227 opponent batting average tied for fourth in GCU's Division I history and tied for seventh in program history among pitchers with at least 50 innings.
His signature performance came April 3 at Fresno State, when he threw a nine-inning complete-game shutout in a 3-0 GCU win. Frey struck out eight and allowed only two hits, delivering the Lopes' first nine-inning complete-game shutout since Connor Mattison's no-hitter on March 29, 2024. One week later against UNLV, Frey worked 8 2/3 innings of one-run baseball and struck out 14, tying the most strikeouts by a GCU pitcher since the program returned to Division I in 2014. The 14-strikeout outing was the most by any Mountain West pitcher during the 2026 season and extended Frey's scoreless streak to 17 innings at the time.
Before arriving at GCU, Frey pitched at College of Southern Nevada and Shoreline Community College.
GARRETT AHERN
Right-handed pitcher - junior - Yankees - 16th round - 488th overall
Ahern's selection by the Yankees capped a three-year GCU career that included steady development from freshman contributor to weekend starter to late-season difference-maker.
The Gilbert, Arizona, native made 11 appearances with 10 starts in 2026, going 2-3 with a 5.05 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 46 1/3 innings. In Mountain West games, Ahern ranked among the conference leaders in fewest runs allowed, fewest walks allowed, fewest earned runs allowed, fewest hits allowed, ERA and opponent batting average.
His final college appearance was one of his best. With GCU facing a do-or-die game at Nevada on May 15, Ahern moved from his scheduled start the next day into a long-relief role and delivered six scoreless innings. He scattered four hits and one walk, struck out six, did not allow an extra-base hit and threw 55 strikes on 84 pitches to help the Lopes win 12-7 and stay alive in the race for the Mountain West Championship. The performance earned Ahern Mountain West Pitcher of the Week honors on May 18.
Ahern also opened the 2026 season with five shutout innings in a 10-0 win over Northeastern on Opening Night, striking out five without issuing a walk. He added six innings of one-run baseball with no walks at Washington State on March 22 and returned from a late-season absence with two scoreless innings at San José State on May 3.
In 2025, Ahern was one of two GCU pitchers to make a start on all 15 weekends. He tied for the team lead and ranked fourth in the WAC with six wins, while ranking second on the team in innings pitched and strikeouts. His 83 strikeouts ranked fifth in the WAC and 11th in GCU's Division I era, while his 9.79 strikeouts per nine innings ranked fifth in the program's D-I history.
As a freshman in 2024, Ahern went 4-0, marking the most wins by a GCU pitcher without a loss since Jack Schneider went 7-0 and AJ Franks went 4-0 in 2017. His role grew throughout the season, with more than 80% of his innings coming after April 5. He picked up his first career win against Arizona State and later added victories against Utah Tech, Washington and Utah Valley.
Other draft notes:
- Former GCU right-handed pitcher Connor Mattison was selected in the 16th Round by the Minnesota Twins. Mattison pitched at GCU in the 2024 and 2025 seasons before transferring to Kentucky. Mattison threw GCU's seventh no-hitter on March 29, 2024.
- GCU high school signee Grant Hill was selected in the 7th Round by the Milwaukee Brewers. Hill is a right-handed pitcher from Chelsea, Ala.
- New GCU head coach Steve Bieser saw three of his players from his 2026 Jacksonville State roster selected: Beau Bryans, Caleb Johnson and Brady Thomas.
- Jack Salmon, nephew of GCU great Tim Salmon, was selected by the Los Angeles Angels in the 19th Round.
Players Mentioned
Thursday, June 11
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Monday, June 01
Saturday, May 16