Gonzaga Baseball Products Making Waves in Professional Circuit
Ahead of the 2025 MLB campaign, only two former Gonzaga baseball players found their way onto Opening Day Rosters – right-handed relievers Alek Jacob and Eli Morgan. But that number could increase in the coming years.
Although the pipeline for Gonzaga baseball products to the major leagues isn’t extremely rich historically, several players who suited up in Spokane are showing signs of life in 2026, including a lefty hitter solidifying himself as an above-average MLB bat, and a slew of relievers on varying tracks in their respective professional paths, including three from the same draft class.
These GU products might not have as tenured careers as former Zags Jason Bay and Mike Redmond, but the tools and production they’ve displayed in the early stages of their career create promise for the future.
Troy Johnston
In a very under-the-radar transaction, Johnston was claimed off waivers by the Colorado Rockies this past offseason after his first big league cup of coffee in 2025.
A 17th-round pick in the 2019 Draft by Miami, Johnston found success progressively at every level, including winning the franchise’s 2023 Minor League Player of the Year award after leading MiLB in RBI (116) in 2023, which eventually led to his big-league call-up last July. In 44 games with the Marlins, Johnston hit .277 and logged a 109 OPS+, a solid debut showing for a guy who turned 28 a week before receiving his first invitation to the Show.
But with a roster logjam and emphasis on building around younger players, Miami placed Johnston on waivers, paving the way for Colorado to bring him on board. He initially committed to play for Team Israel in this year’s World Baseball Classic, but Johnston later withdrew from the tournament to focus on his first Spring Training with his new organization. And after mashing the ball to the tune of a 1.027 OPS in February and March, he earned a spot on the Rockies’ 26-man roster.
Now, Colorado’s home ballpark, Coors Field, is certainly a heaven for hitters, somewhat inflating Johnston’s .312/.371/.424 slashline so far in 2026. But the left-hander has a 114 OPS+ on the season, providing quality at-bats in the middle of the Rockies’ lineup. Based on a contact-oriented approach, Johnston is squaring the ball up at a strong rate while spraying line drives consistently. He’s been mostly shielded from facing other southpaws, feasting against righties for most of his production. In the field, Johnston’s split time at first base and in the corner outfield spots, and although he isn’t exactly a plus player with the glove, his bat is currently making up for his deficiencies defensively.
Amidst another front office reshuffling in Colorado, the team could be looking at more time in their current rebuilding state. If the former All-WCC Freshman and All-WCC First Team selectee continues to rake, he could be on the move again at this year’s Trade Deadline to supplement contending teams looking for left-handed thump.
Casey Legumina and Owen Wild
Although these two right-handed arms are on different points in their pro careers, they have found themselves in the same organization, one that happens to have a track record of maximizing pitching talent.
After stints in the systems of Minnesota, Cincinnati, and Seattle, Legumina was shipped to the Tampa Bay Rays in April after being designated for assignment, sporting a 6.31 ERA in parts of two seasons with the Mariners.
But the soon-to-be 29-year-old has logged a 2.25 ERA in his first 16 appearances with the Rays, which is already the best stretch he’s had in MLB. Featuring an arsenal with a sinker and sweeper, Legumina is allowing fewer baserunners and even missing slightly more bats, tapping into the version of himself that was named to the 2018 All-WCC First Team and tossed a 2.35 ERA over his final two seasons in Spokane.
Wild, on the other hand, is also transitioning into a bullpen role. Despite starting for the back half of his three-year tenure with the Zags and during the first three seasons in Tampa Bay’s organization, Wild is drawing even more similarities to Ricky “Wild Thing” Vaughn from Major League. The hard-throwing righty struck out 25.7% of batters with Gonzaga, but has fanned an even higher rate of batters in the pros.
Starting 2026 with the Rays’ Double-A affiliate, the Montgomery Bulls, Wild struck out an eye-popping 40.7% of hitters he faced while limiting them to a .129 average against him. A couple of weeks ago, Wild was promoted to Triple-A Durham, where he has since allowed five earned runs in four innings. But once he gets his feet under him at a more advanced level, Wild could find himself on the Rays’ big-league roster by season’s end.
William Kempner and Gabriel Hughes
Currently on the trodden path of relievers with available options, Kempner is making the most of his time as a bullpen arm for Miami. The 24-year-old righty is in his second stint with the Marlins in 2026 after being sent down earlier in the year, even though he was effective. In 4 2/3 innings of work, Kempner hasn’t allowed a run while flashing backend reliever stuff with his four-seamer, sweeper, and cutter.
The former third-round pick by San Francisco in 2022 was dealt to Miami last January for international pool money, creating real diamond in the rough material for the Marlins. Still with two minor league options remaining, Kempner might force the team’s hand to keep him on the active roster if he continues to get outs.
A former two-way player with the Zags, Hughes dominated more on the mound, totaling a 3.05 ERA in 171 innings with GU as he showcased elite swing-and-miss stuff. Hughes’ performance prompted the Rockies to select him 10th overall in the 2022 Draft, and factoring in his early returns in the minors, he seemed to be on a fast track to the majors.
But the 6-4 righty underwent Tommy John surgery in the midst of the 2023 season, sidelining him for the next year and a half. Hughes returned the following autumn in the Arizona Fall League, regaining his feel and eventually earning a call-up to Colorado’s highest minor league affiliate during the 2025 season.
His numbers are gaudy at the Triple-A level, but the Rockies protected Hughes during the most recent Rule 5 Draft, believing in his arm talent and potential to be a building block in their rotation down the line. This year, Hughes missed a month with an injury, but recently made a rehab start with the High-A Indians, who happen to play in Spokane.
Tossing three scoreless frames and striking out six in that start, Hughes looks like a healthy and improved player toeing the rubber.
