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Grand Canyon baseball has signed 22 players, all but one out of the portal, as coach Steve Bieser and his staff restock the roster.
Thirteen of the players have ties to the southeastern part of the country, including two players from Bieser's former Jacksonville State team — first baseman/outfielder Sam Richardson and right-hander Ryan Geraghty.
Familiarity with so many players from that part of the country helped build his first recruiting class at GCU, Bieser said.
"Most of the guys we were able to get have some sort of history, whether we recruited them back in the day or whether they actually played for us," Bieser said. "It was just kind of the way it worked. Our goal is to get to this side of the country."
Bieser said he normally wouldn't sign so many out of the portal, but it was necessary after the Lopes had 21 players enter the portal. A 22nd player who entered, pitcher Garrett Ahern, signed with the New York Yankees after being chosen in the 16th round of the MLB draft.
Geraghty appeared in 19 games last season with four starts at Jacksonville State. He went 2-2 with a 5.44 ERA. Richardson started in 20 games in 2026, hitting nine home runs. He was named the Conference USA Tournament Most Valuable Player. He spent 2025 as a redshirt at Texas. He's from Mississippi.
GCU also signed a couple of local guys — former Queen Creek Casteel left-hander Mason Russell and former Phoenix Sandra Day O'Connor outfielder Ky McGary. Russell transferred from Arizona and McGary from Arizona State.
Russell helped Casteel win back-to-back 5A state titles and had 201 strikeouts in 155⅔ career high school innings. He posted a 2.52 ERA in four innings last season as a sophomore at UA.
McGary played the last two seasons at ASU with six starts in the 2026 season. He hit .297 with a .458 on-base percentage and a .459 slugging percentage, playing in 25 games.
"We think their ceiling is high," Bieser said of Russell and McGary. "We get a chance to develop them and give them confidence. We think they can be big producers for us."
Bieser was hired in early June to lead GCU baseball after the Lopes went 21-30 overall and 11-13 in their first season in the Mountain West, failing to make the conference tournament. Bieser led Jacksonville State to 48 wins and an NCAA regional championship game last season.
Others who have signed with the Lopes out of the transfer portal are: RHP Justin Morales (Bethune-Cookman); OF Andrew Ildefonso (Florida International); OF Samuel Jenkins (Baylor/McLennan CC); RHP Henry Vedder (Washington, Missouri, HS); catcher Brady Francisco (Oklahoma State); RHP Bryson Treichel (Kentucky); infielder Dawson Downs (UC Santa Barbara); RHP Jake Echols (Florida State); LHP Ismael Quintero (Cal State LA); OF Jake Kulikowski (South Florida); RHP Oisin Lee (Notre Dame); INF Kolt Myers (Florida), LHP Freddy Beruvides Jr. (Pittsburgh, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida); INF Chris Daniels (New Mexico State); RHP Mason Goodson (Lewis-Clark State); LHP LJ Drummond (Miami); RHP Dillon DeSpain (Golden West College) and C Tagger Tyson.
Tyson comes from Kentucky, where he hit .264 with 21 starts, three doubles, 13 runs scored and nine RBI.
"From a roster size, I'm a guy who would prefer to work with a smaller roster than add players on top of players and have tryout situations," Bieser said. "We want to be specific on who we recruit, and how they fit the culture of our team, how they fit the makeup of how we want to play.
"I feel like we're finished, except maybe if we can find a left-handed pitcher yet. I think right-handed-wise, we're solid on the mound. Left-handed, we have a good mix. You're always looking; if you can add a difference maker this late, we would entertain that."
Richard Obert has been covering high school sports since the 1980s for The Arizona Republic. Catch the best high school sports coverage in the state. Sign up for Azcentral Preps Now. And be sure to subscribe to our daily sports newsletters so you don't miss a thing. To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at [email protected] or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:@azc_obert
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Grand Canyon baseball restocks roster with 22 signed players
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Thirteen of the players have ties to the southeastern part of the country, including two players from Bieser's former Jacksonville State team — first baseman/outfielder Sam Richardson and right-hander Ryan Geraghty.
Familiarity with so many players from that part of the country helped build his first recruiting class at GCU, Bieser said.
"Most of the guys we were able to get have some sort of history, whether we recruited them back in the day or whether they actually played for us," Bieser said. "It was just kind of the way it worked. Our goal is to get to this side of the country."
Bieser said he normally wouldn't sign so many out of the portal, but it was necessary after the Lopes had 21 players enter the portal. A 22nd player who entered, pitcher Garrett Ahern, signed with the New York Yankees after being chosen in the 16th round of the MLB draft.
Geraghty appeared in 19 games last season with four starts at Jacksonville State. He went 2-2 with a 5.44 ERA. Richardson started in 20 games in 2026, hitting nine home runs. He was named the Conference USA Tournament Most Valuable Player. He spent 2025 as a redshirt at Texas. He's from Mississippi.
GCU also signed a couple of local guys — former Queen Creek Casteel left-hander Mason Russell and former Phoenix Sandra Day O'Connor outfielder Ky McGary. Russell transferred from Arizona and McGary from Arizona State.
Russell helped Casteel win back-to-back 5A state titles and had 201 strikeouts in 155⅔ career high school innings. He posted a 2.52 ERA in four innings last season as a sophomore at UA.
McGary played the last two seasons at ASU with six starts in the 2026 season. He hit .297 with a .458 on-base percentage and a .459 slugging percentage, playing in 25 games.
"We think their ceiling is high," Bieser said of Russell and McGary. "We get a chance to develop them and give them confidence. We think they can be big producers for us."
Bieser was hired in early June to lead GCU baseball after the Lopes went 21-30 overall and 11-13 in their first season in the Mountain West, failing to make the conference tournament. Bieser led Jacksonville State to 48 wins and an NCAA regional championship game last season.
Others who have signed with the Lopes out of the transfer portal are: RHP Justin Morales (Bethune-Cookman); OF Andrew Ildefonso (Florida International); OF Samuel Jenkins (Baylor/McLennan CC); RHP Henry Vedder (Washington, Missouri, HS); catcher Brady Francisco (Oklahoma State); RHP Bryson Treichel (Kentucky); infielder Dawson Downs (UC Santa Barbara); RHP Jake Echols (Florida State); LHP Ismael Quintero (Cal State LA); OF Jake Kulikowski (South Florida); RHP Oisin Lee (Notre Dame); INF Kolt Myers (Florida), LHP Freddy Beruvides Jr. (Pittsburgh, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida); INF Chris Daniels (New Mexico State); RHP Mason Goodson (Lewis-Clark State); LHP LJ Drummond (Miami); RHP Dillon DeSpain (Golden West College) and C Tagger Tyson.
Tyson comes from Kentucky, where he hit .264 with 21 starts, three doubles, 13 runs scored and nine RBI.
"From a roster size, I'm a guy who would prefer to work with a smaller roster than add players on top of players and have tryout situations," Bieser said. "We want to be specific on who we recruit, and how they fit the culture of our team, how they fit the makeup of how we want to play.
"I feel like we're finished, except maybe if we can find a left-handed pitcher yet. I think right-handed-wise, we're solid on the mound. Left-handed, we have a good mix. You're always looking; if you can add a difference maker this late, we would entertain that."
Richard Obert has been covering high school sports since the 1980s for The Arizona Republic. Catch the best high school sports coverage in the state. Sign up for Azcentral Preps Now. And be sure to subscribe to our daily sports newsletters so you don't miss a thing. To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at [email protected] or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:@azc_obert
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Grand Canyon baseball restocks roster with 22 signed players
Continue reading...
