Completed Event: Baseball versus Air Force on April 17, 2026 , Win , 8, to, 1
Baseball
vs Air Force
W 8-1
Grand Canyon University Athletics
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Jersey Number 24
Emilio Barreras
- Position:
- INF
- Ht./Wt.:
- 6-0 / 190
- Class:
- Junior
- B/T:
- L/R
- Hometown:
- Casa Grande, Ariz.
- HS:
- Vista Grande
- Major:
- B.S. in Behavioral Health Science
 |
2025 MLB Draft
|
Lopes in the Pros 109th pick View full history |
| Read | GCU's Barreras returns 'home' for NCAA regional |
 |
Grand Canyon |
2025 | Junior
- Named to the All-WAC Second Team and All-WAC Defensive Team.
- In mid-April, named to the Brooks Wallace Award Watch List which featured the nation's top 100 shortstops.
- Led the team with a .358 batting average and .462 on-base percentage, both marks ranking seventh in the WAC. His OBP was tied for 12th-highest in GCU's D-I era.
- Started 41 games — all at shortstop. Missed over a month due to injury (did not appear between March 9 and April 11). All of his starts came in the first three spots in GCU's batting order.
- Struck out only seven times in 159 at bats, or once every 22.7 at bats. Marked the third-lowest strikeout rate in GCU's D-I era (behind two Jacob Wilson seasons) and 10th in all-time program history.
- Had a 13-game hitting streak from Feb. 18 to March 8, spanning games against San Diego State, Austin Peay, Nebraska, Rutgers, Texas State, Pepperdine and Texas Tech. The streak extended to April 26 and 25 games for reaching base.
- Posted 18 multi-hit games including seven three-hit games.
- Had eight multi-RBI games including three of three RBIs.
- Named WAC Player of the Week on Feb. 24 following games against Rutgers and Nebraska. In five games, hit .632 (12 for 19) with five RBIs.
- Hit a game-winning, two-out, two-run double in the top of the ninth at Stanford on May 9 to flip a 3-2 deficit to a 4-3 lead.
- Had a pair of three-walk games: Feb. 22 vs. Rutgers and April 28 vs. BYU.
- Named Preseason All-WAC.
- Started 56 of the Lopes' 61 games, third-most on the team. Of hits 56 starts, 48 came in the No. 9 spot in the batting order.
- Earned All-WAC defensive-team honors for the second consecutive season at shortstop.
- Hit 6 for 15 (.400) with four runs scored in four Tucson Regional games to earn a spot on the all-regional team.
- Hit .357 in conference games, the No. 4 mark on the Lopes but No. 8 mark in the WAC.
- Got off to a slow offensive start on the season but hit .390 starting March 22 to gradually raise his average from .172 to a season-ending .316.
- Ended the year as the WAC's toughest batter to strike out and 29th nationally at once every 11.7 at bats. Struck out only 16 times in 187 at bats.
- Logged 14 multi-hit games including four three-hit games highlighted by a three-hit effort in an NCAA tournament victory over No. 25 Dallas Baptist on June 2.
- Had a career-high four RBIs in a 17-0 eight-inning win over UT Rio Grande Valley on March 24.
- Had nine assists in an April 13 win at UT Arlington, tied for most by a Lope since GCU's return to D-I in 2014 (tied with: Paul Panaccione on March 14, 2014).
- Hit first career home run against California Baptist on May 4.
- Saw significant time as a freshman, appearing in 45 of 58 games including 32 starts.
- Named to the All-WAC Defensive Team. Spending time at shortstop and third base — two of the toughest positions defensively — Barreras committed only one error in 73 chances in conference play.
- Held a batting average above .300 for most of the season and as late as April 29 before struggling from the plate for the final month of the season.
- Among the top 10 in the WAC (tied for seventh) in successful sacrifice bunts with five on the season.
- Was an Opening Day substitute for Jacob Wilson at shortstop and promptly recorded two base hits, a run, an RBI and a double in his collegiate debut against UC San Diego on Feb. 17.
- Also had a pair of hits in his second career game on Feb. 20 vs. Michigan State.
- Had a season-best three hits against Arizona State on April 11.
Summer Leagues |
- 2024: Eau Claire Express | Northwoods League | Eau Claire, Wisc. (stats)
- 2023: Mat-su Miners | Alaska Baseball League | Palmer, Alaska (stats)
Vista Grande HS |
Casa Grande, Ariz. |
- Hit .439 in four-year varsity career spanning 63 games.
- Earned all-state and all-conference recognition as a junior in 2021 and a senior in 2022.
- Four-year batting average progression: .281, .739, .531, .483.
- A collision at second base during his freshman season in 2019 resulted in serious injury that required eye surgery and a metal plate inserted in his cheekbone. Returned before end of season. More
- Had 63 RBIs and 38 extra-base hits over the course of career.
- Was off to a 17-for-23 start (.739) in shortened 2020 season.
- Named Vista Grande's Athlete of the Year, which he cites as his top high school athletics memory.
- Was on the honor roll from 2018 to 2022, in the top 5% of his class and posted a 4.1 GPA.
- Played club for Baseball's Next Level and TREX.
Personal |
- Parents are Octaviano Barreras and Lizbeth Rojo.
- Driven by an inspiration to play and provide for his hard-working family. More
- If he wasn't playing baseball, he'd be a boxer or Formula 1 driver.
- Chose GCU because it's a "growing and up-and-coming university that allows me to get the help I need to become successful in the athletic and academic standpoints."
- Favorite TV show is Money Heist.
- His future goals include: "Get a degree from GCU, make a College World Series appearance, go into pro ball, become a pediatrician."
- Favorite pro teams are the Chicago Bulls, Detroit Tigers and Atlanta Braves.
- Favorite athletes to watch growing up include Usain Bolt, Derrick Rose and Miguel Cabrera.
Singles off BOTH bags. ONE inning. 🤯 #baseball
Sunday, April 12
Schmidt's 3-run blast vs. ASU #collegebaseball
Wednesday, April 08
Fired up! Frey celebrates complete game shutout #collegebaseball
Saturday, April 04
GCU Baseball at Fresno State (Game 1) - Highlights
Friday, April 03
