Baseball signs ten new recruits for 2025
SPOKANE, Wash. – Head coach of the Gonzaga baseball team Mark Machtolf announced Tuesday the addition of ten student-athletes via national letters of intent. Mikey Bell, Gabe Brabec, Ethan Buckley, Cooper Ciesielski, Luca DiPaolo, Jared Glenn, Ryan Hernandez, Mickey McClaskey, Jacob Wrubleski and Ty Yukumoto will join the Zags this fall ahead of Gonzaga’s 2025 spring season.
“We are excited to add this group to the other Zags we signed in the fall,” Machtolf said. “Overall, we feel like this group expands our roster and puts us in a good position to compete for a WCC title.”
Mikey Bell | RSo. | INF | Fresno, California | San Joaquin Memorial HS | Cuesta College
Bell is a transfer from Cuesta College in Fresno, California, and is coming off a great season for the Cougars in 2024, finishing third on the team with a .368 batting average. Bell, who started all 45 games for Cuesta last season, led the team with 13 home runs and finished second with 59 runs batted in while posting a 1.190 OPS. A First Team All-Western State Conference – North Division honor capped Bell’s season before he signed with the Zags in 2025.
“I chose Gonzaga because of its strong program and atmosphere. It’s also a great place to get an excellent education.”
Gabe Brabec | So. | RHP | Ashland, Oregon | Ashland HS | Linn-Benton Community College
Brabec signs with Gonzaga after a stellar 2024 season with the Linn-Benton Roadrunners, where he appeared in 13 games with nine starts and allowed just nine runs with 99 strikeouts in 72.2 innings pitched, posting a 1.11 ERA, 0.72 WHIP and .123 batting average against his opponents. Brabec was named to the First Team All-NWAC after finishing third in the conference in ERA, third in wins (9) and fourth in strikeouts.
“I chose Gonzaga because it has a great coaching staff, a winning atmosphere and a desire to develop the players in the best possible way.”
Ethan Buckley | Jr. | C | Cape Town, South Africa | Fairmont HS | Linn-Benton Community College
Buckley is the second transfer from Linn-Benton Community College to join the Zags in 2025. He spent the last two seasons as a member of the Roadrunners’ group. In 2023, Buckley appeared in 19 games, batting .311 with one home run and six runs batted in. LBCC won the NWAC South Region title that season. In 2024, Buckley had nearly double the number of batting appearances in 22 games, batting .250 with 17 runs batted in.
“Gonzaga is a great university and I believe it will give me the opportunity to improve my academics and play baseball at a high level.”
Cooper Ciesielski | RSo. | OF | Monument, Colorado | Lewis Palmer HS | UT Permian Basin
Ciesielski, a sophomore transfer from the University of Texas Permian Basin, joins the Zags next season after posting a career .349 batting average for the Falcons in 2023 and 2024. In 2023, Ciesielski played in 48 games with 47 starts, batting .324 with eight home runs and 40 runs batted in and an OPS of .970. Last season, Ciesielski’s season was ended early after five games despite getting off to a hot start with 10-for-16, one home run and six runs batted in.
“I’m excited to join the Zag community and make an impact on and off the field. I can’t wait to play for this program under a great coaching staff.”
Luca DiPaolo | Jr. | C | La Cañada Flintridge, California | Loyola HS | Southern California
DiPaolo signs with Gonzaga after two seasons at Southern California, where he appeared in 25 games with 14 starts for the Trojans. In his first season in 2023, DiPaolo took advantage of his 22 at-bats, posting an on-base-plus-slugging percentage of .820 with two home runs. His first came in a win against Utah, where he was 2-for-3 with three runs batted in and two runs scored. His second came in a loss at Washington, where he was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Behind the plate in 2024, DiPaolo threw out two runners in limited action, both coming against fifth-ranked TCU on March 3.
“I chose Gonzaga because of the wonderful campus and competitive baseball program.”
Jared Glenn | RJr. | RHP | Ladera Ranch, California | JSerra Catholic HS | Arizona State
Glenn comes to Gonzaga this fall from Arizona State, where he spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons on the Sun Devils’ pitching staff. In his freshman season, Glenn posted a record of 6-2 in 24 appearances with three starts and a 5.02 ERA. Known for his long stints as a relief pitcher, Glenn finished second on the team with 52 innings pitched. In 2022, Glenn pitched 24 innings for ASU, recording 32 strikeouts. His career high came in 2021, when he pitched 7.1 shutout innings out of the bullpen, paving the way for Arizona State to turn a 3-0 deficit into a 6-3 victory.
“I chose Gonzaga because I believe it is a great place where I can grow as a player and as a person.”
Ryan Hernandez | Gr. | LHP | La Mirada, California | La Mirada HS | Cal Baptist
Hernandez will join Gonzaga’s pitching staff in 2025, joining the Zags as a graduate of Cal Baptist. The left-hander from La Mirada made 27 appearances for the Lancers in 2024, posting a team-leading 1.55 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 29 innings pitched. Hernandez allowed just seven runs, five of which were earned, all season and posted a 1.00 WHIP. Opposing batters batted just .178 against Hernandez in 2024.
“I chose Gonzaga because I felt it was a good fit for me academically. And after meeting the coaches, I knew it was a good fit for me athletically as well.”
Mickey McClaskey | Ms. | RHP | Lake Oswego, Oregon | Jesuit HS
McClaskey comes from Jesuit High School in Lake Oswego, Oregon, and will join the Zag’s pitching staff after capping his high school career with All-6A Metro League honors and OSAA All-State honorable mention in 2024. The Crusaders (22-10) finished third in the Metro League with a 12-6 record in 2024 before falling in the OSAA state playoffs. McClaskey posted a 2.67 ERA in his final season, striking out 19 times in 18.1 innings and allowing just two walks.
“I’m really looking forward to living the Jesuit experience at Gonzaga. Playing baseball at the next level while continuing my faith as a Catholic is very important to me.”
Jacob Wrubleski | So. | C | Okotoks, Alb. | Chandler-Gilbert Community College
Wrubleski signs with Gonzaga after a stellar freshman season at Chandler-Gilbert Community College, where he posted a .409 batting average with 50 runs batted in and nine home runs and was named First Team All-ACCAC and All-Region DII. His batting average was second best on the team and he finished third in hits (65), fourth in runs scored (46), third in runs batted in and second in home runs. He was the all-time leading hitter with 1,201 on-base plus slugging. CGCC finished the 2024 season with a record of 36-23, narrowly falling in the NJCAA Regional Finals.
“I want to excel in both academics and sports and continue to improve as a student, person and baseball player.”
Ty Yukumoto | Sr. | INF | Waipahu, Hawaii | Leilehua HS | Pacific University
Yukumoto will join the Zags in 2025 after playing three impressive seasons at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon, where he posted a career batting average of .329 in 116 games and 107 starts for the Boxers. In his freshman season, Yukumoto batted .323 in 35 games while driving in 16 runs and scoring 27 runs. He had an even bigger breakthrough in 2023, hitting a career-high .371 with 28 runs batted in and 43 runs batted in. Yukumoto was named to the First Team All-Northwest Conference, finishing seventh in average, second in hits (67), and fourth in runs scored, and leading the NWC in at bats (178) and stolen bases (23). Despite a less productive season in terms of average (.291) in 2024, Yukumoto had a respectable junior season, finishing fourth in the NWC in runs scored (43), second in at bats (172), and third in stolen bases (16).
“I chose Gonzaga because I wanted to compete with other players at the Division I level while also getting the amazing degree that comes with it.”