Gabriel Hughes

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Colorado Rockies #16 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 50/Extreme
  
  Track Record: After two seasons as a two-way player for Gonzaga, Hughes earned a Collegiate National Team invite prior to his draft spring and converted full-time to pitching. Hughes had a dominant showing with Gonzaga in his draft spring, when he struck out 138 batters over 98 innings and earned second-team All-American honors. The Rockies selected Hughes with the 10th overall pick in the draft. He debuted following the draft with two three-inning outings for Low-A Fresno, one in the regular season and another in the playoffs. Hughes opened 2023 at High-A Spokane and made eight starts before moving to Double-A. After six starts with the Yard Goats, the Rockies announced that Hughes had a torn ulnar collateral ligament and had Tommy John surgery.
  
  Scouting Report: Hughes is a tall, physical righthander with a four-pitch mix that includes a four-seam fastball, slider, curveball and changeup. His fastball sits between 92-94 mph and touches 95 mph with below-average ride and cut. Hughes shows good command for his fastball and lands it in the zone consistently. His most-used secondary is a slider which sits 84-86 mph with cut. He shows strong command for the pitch, which is a bat-misser. Against lefties, Hughes leans on his curveball. The pitch sits between 77-78 mph with heavy two-plane break. Hughes has a seldom-used changeup that sits between 85-87 mph and is commanded poorly. Overall, Hughes is an average strike-thrower.
  
  The Future: If Hughes returns healthy, he has the ability to develop into a No. 4 starter.
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 50
• 
  Ranked Colorado Rockies #5 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
  
  Track Record: The grandson of former Tigers minor leaguer Don Hughes, Gabriel spent his first two seasons with Gonzaga as a two-way player. He was selected for the roster of USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team in the summer of 2021 and converted to full-time pitching for the Zags the following spring. Hughes went 8-3, 3.21 in 15 starts with Gonzaga in 2022, earning second team All-America honors while compiling 138 strikeouts to 37 walks over 98 innings. The Rockies selected Hughes with the 10th overall pick and signed him to a below-slot bonus of $4 million. He made his pro debut on Sept. 10 with Low-A Fresno.
  
  Scouting Report: A big-bodied righthander with broad shoulders and natural strength throughout his frame, Hughes has little trouble generating power across his four-pitch mix. He works from a semi-windup with a large leg lift before he gives way to an uptempo move toward the plate and a long, extended arm action. His fastball sat 93-94 mph and touched 97 in the spring, but he was sitting 95-97 mph and touching 98 in his three-inning pro debut. Hughes' fastball relies heavily on power with only average vertical break and some late cut. His fastball command took a significant jump as he cut his walk rate in the spring with Gonzaga and showed potential for average command. Hughes' primary secondary is a short slider with moderate spin rates that sits 83-85 mph. He used a cut fastball in his pro debut in the lower 90s that could be an added wrinkle to his arsenal. Hughes will also show a changeup in the low-to-mid 80s that will flash above-average, but he has not been able to consistently execute the pitch.
  
  The Future: There's the makings of a potential midrotation starter if Hughes can improve his secondary offerings. If not, he has the potential to air it out as a two-pitch reliever.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60. Slider: 55. Changeup: 45. Cutter: 50. Control: 50

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #22 prospect in 2022 draft
  School: Gonzaga Committed/Drafted: Never Drafted
  Age At Draft: 20.9
  BA Grade: 50/High
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: - | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Cutter: | Control: 50
  Hughes began his career at Gonzaga as a hitter and pitcher, but it quickly became clear his future was on the mound. In his first season as a full-time starter in 2021, Hughes posted a 3.23 ERA over 61.1 innings and 10 starts, while striking out 67 batters, but showing erratic control and walking 30. During his draft year in 2022, Hughes has made impressive steps forward with his command, and in a poor college pitching class, he’s worked himself into a position to perhaps be the first college pitcher selected. Hughes has a fantastic pitcher’s frame at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, with plenty of strength and he’ll also still be just 20 years old on draft day. He primarily works off of a fastball/slider combination and after sitting 91-93 a year ago, in 2022 Hughes has averaged 93-94 mph with his fastball and touched 97 at peak. Scouts noted that his fastball command specifically looked better this spring (which helped him cut his walk rate significantly year over year) and the pitch has gotten close to a 40% whiff rate when he locates it up in the zone. His slider flashes wipeout potential at best but hasn’t consistently been a plus pitch this spring. It’s a low-80s offering that will get into the mid 80s, with 2,300 rpm spin and a whiff rate north of 40%. He did a nice job landing the pitch to his glove side this spring and showed some ability to manipulate the pitch to use it as an early-count strike stealer and expand the zone as a swing-and-miss offering. Hughes didn’t use his changeup as frequently as a secondary, but it was successful as a bat-misser and as a pitch to induce ground balls. It sits in the low 80s and features some slight fading action, but he will yank and spike the pitch at times. Hughes’ combination of size, youth, stuff and performance this spring allows him to check plenty of boxes as a potential No. 4 starter and he should benefit from a down college pitching class on draft day as well.

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
  
  Track Record: The grandson of former Tigers minor leaguer Don Hughes, Gabriel spent his first two seasons with Gonzaga as a two-way player. He was selected for the roster of USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team in the summer of 2021 and converted to full-time pitching for the Zags the following spring. Hughes went 8-3, 3.21 in 15 starts with Gonzaga in 2022, earning second team All-America honors while compiling 138 strikeouts to 37 walks over 98 innings. The Rockies selected Hughes with the 10th overall pick and signed him to a below-slot bonus of $4 million. He made his pro debut on Sept. 10 with Low-A Fresno.
  
  Scouting Report: A big-bodied righthander with broad shoulders and natural strength throughout his frame, Hughes has little trouble generating power across his four-pitch mix. He works from a semi-windup with a large leg lift before he gives way to an uptempo move toward the plate and a long, extended arm action. His fastball sat 93-94 mph and touched 97 in the spring, but he was sitting 95-97 mph and touching 98 in his three-inning pro debut. Hughes' fastball relies heavily on power with only average vertical break and some late cut. His fastball command took a significant jump as he cut his walk rate in the spring with Gonzaga and showed potential for average command. Hughes' primary secondary is a short slider with moderate spin rates that sits 83-85 mph. He used a cut fastball in his pro debut in the lower 90s that could be an added wrinkle to his arsenal. Hughes will also show a changeup in the low-to-mid 80s that will flash above-average, but he has not been able to consistently execute the pitch.
  
  The Future: There's the makings of a potential midrotation starter if Hughes can improve his secondary offerings. If not, he has the potential to air it out as a two-pitch reliever.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60. Slider: 55. Changeup: 45. Cutter: 50. Control: 50
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
  
  Track Record: The grandson of former Tigers minor leaguer Don Hughes, Gabriel spent his first two seasons with Gonzaga as a two-way player. He was selected for the roster of USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team in the summer of 2021 and converted to full-time pitching for the Zags the following spring. Hughes went 8-3, 3.21 in 15 starts with Gonzaga in 2022, earning second team All-America honors while compiling 138 strikeouts to 37 walks over 98 innings. The Rockies selected Hughes with the 10th overall pick and signed him to a below-slot bonus of $4 million. He made his pro debut on Sept. 10 with Low-A Fresno.
  
  Scouting Report: A big-bodied righthander with broad shoulders and natural strength throughout his frame, Hughes has little trouble generating power across his four-pitch mix. He works from a semi-windup with a large leg lift before he gives way to an uptempo move toward the plate and a long, extended arm action. His fastball sat 93-94 mph and touched 97 in the spring, but he was sitting 95-97 mph and touching 98 in his three-inning pro debut. Hughes' fastball relies heavily on power with only average vertical break and some late cut. His fastball command took a significant jump as he cut his walk rate in the spring with Gonzaga and showed potential for average command. Hughes' primary secondary is a short slider with moderate spin rates that sits 83-85 mph. He used a cut fastball in his pro debut in the lower 90s that could be an added wrinkle to his arsenal. Hughes will also show a changeup in the low-to-mid 80s that will flash above-average, but he has not been able to consistently execute the pitch.
  
  The Future: There's the makings of a potential midrotation starter if Hughes can improve his secondary offerings. If not, he has the potential to air it out as a two-pitch reliever.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60. Slider: 55. Changeup: 45. Cutter: 50. Control: 50
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 50/High
  
  August Update: Hughes began his career at Gonzaga as a hitter and pitcher, but it quickly became clear his future was on the mound. In his first season as a full-time starter in 2021, Hughes posted a 3.23 ERA over 61.1 innings and 10 starts, while striking out 67 batters, but showing erratic control and walking 30. During his draft year in 2022, Hughes has made impressive steps forward with his command, and in a poor college pitching class, he&#39s worked himself into a position to perhaps be the first college pitcher selected. Hughes has a fantastic pitcher&#39s frame at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, with plenty of strength and he&#39ll also still be just 20 years old on draft day. He primarily works off of a fastball/slider combination and after sitting 91-93 a year ago, in 2022 Hughes has averaged 93-94 mph with his fastball and touched 97 at peak. Scouts noted that his fastball command specifically looked better this spring (which helped him cut his walk rate significantly year over year) and the pitch has gotten close to a 40% whiff rate when he locates it up in the zone. His slider flashes wipeout potential at best but hasn&#39t consistently been a plus pitch this spring. It&#39s a low-80s offering that will get into the mid 80s, with 2,300 rpm spin and a whiff rate north of 40%. He did a nice job landing the pitch to his glove side this spring and showed some ability to manipulate the pitch to use it as an early-count strike stealer and expand the zone as a swing-and-miss offering. Hughes didn&#39t use his changeup as frequently as a secondary, but it was successful as a bat-misser and as a pitch to induce ground balls. It sits in the low 80s and features some slight fading action, but he will yank and spike the pitch at times. Hughes&#39 combination of size, youth, stuff and performance this spring allows him to check plenty of boxes as a potential No. 4 starter. Hughes was selected with the 10th overall pick and signed for $4,000,000.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60. Slider: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 50.