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University of Minnesota Athletics
Gilbreath Makes Major League Debut with Colorado
5/3/2021 6:43:00 PM | Baseball
The 37th Gopher baseball alum to play in the MLB, Gilbreath is the fourth University of Minnesota product to suit up for the Colorado Rockies.
MINNEAPOLIS – Former Gopher baseball pitcher and First Team All-Big Ten selection Lucas Gilbreath made his Major League Baseball debut on Saturday, May 1, 2021 with the Colorado Rockies.
A native of Westminster, Colo., Gilbreath pitched the ninth inning of a 14-6 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
The 37th Gopher baseball alum to play in the MLB, Gilbreath is the fourth University of Minnesota product to suit up for the Colorado Rockies -- joining Bryan Hickerson (1995), and Brian Raabe (1997) and Denny Neagle (2001-04). He is the first Gopher to make his MLB debut since Ben Meyer in 2018.
"It was a dream come true," Gilbreath told the Colorado Springs Gazette. "I would have taken an opportunity wherever I got it, but I was very fortunate that it was a blessing to be picked up by them."
A three-year thrower for the Golden Gophers, Gilbreath made 48 career appearances for the Maroon & Gold with 168 strikeouts and a 3.04 ERA. In 2016, he helped Minnesota win the Big Ten as a sophomore with a team-low 1.36 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 33 innings. The following year, he earned First Team All-Big Ten honors with 92 strikeouts and a 2.66 ERA in 81.1 innings of work. His 92 strikeouts in his final collegiate season remain tied for eighth all-time at Minnesota.
The Colorado Rockies selected the local prospect two times – first in the 36th round of the 2014 MLB Draft and again in the seventh round of the 2017 MLB Draft.
"When they said 'all right, it's your ballgame,' it hit me and I looked around," he said. "Just seeing the surroundings and hearing the noise, it was crazy to me. Running out there and having all of that around me was a surreal experience."
A native of Westminster, Colo., Gilbreath pitched the ninth inning of a 14-6 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
The 37th Gopher baseball alum to play in the MLB, Gilbreath is the fourth University of Minnesota product to suit up for the Colorado Rockies -- joining Bryan Hickerson (1995), and Brian Raabe (1997) and Denny Neagle (2001-04). He is the first Gopher to make his MLB debut since Ben Meyer in 2018.
"It was a dream come true," Gilbreath told the Colorado Springs Gazette. "I would have taken an opportunity wherever I got it, but I was very fortunate that it was a blessing to be picked up by them."
A three-year thrower for the Golden Gophers, Gilbreath made 48 career appearances for the Maroon & Gold with 168 strikeouts and a 3.04 ERA. In 2016, he helped Minnesota win the Big Ten as a sophomore with a team-low 1.36 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 33 innings. The following year, he earned First Team All-Big Ten honors with 92 strikeouts and a 2.66 ERA in 81.1 innings of work. His 92 strikeouts in his final collegiate season remain tied for eighth all-time at Minnesota.
The Colorado Rockies selected the local prospect two times – first in the 36th round of the 2014 MLB Draft and again in the seventh round of the 2017 MLB Draft.
"When they said 'all right, it's your ballgame,' it hit me and I looked around," he said. "Just seeing the surroundings and hearing the noise, it was crazy to me. Running out there and having all of that around me was a surreal experience."
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