Gabriel Barbosa is receiving love from around the sport of baseball.
The Philadelphia Phillies pitching prospect recently was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer.
As part of his fight, Barbosa had a GoFundMe organized by the executive that originally signed him into pro ball.
The GoFundMe already has a donation from Hall of Fame third baseman Adrian Beltre, as well as other MLB players like Ezequiel Tovar and Carlos Estevez:
There is a GoFundMe for Gabriel Barbosa, a Phillies minor leaguer who was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer and is expecting his first child with his wife this month. The fundraiser was organized by a Rockies executive who originally signed Barbosa: https://t.co/f74xQ8YYaz
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) September 1, 2026
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The executive who began the GoFundMe, Rolando Fernandez, wrote a long message with the posting.
It includes this blurb:
“It is difficult to put into words what Gabriel and his family are going through. But those of us who know him know the kind of person who is facing this fight. Gabriel has always approached life with faith, humility, determination, and courage. Those qualities carried him from a small city in Brazil to professional baseball, and today they are carrying him through the greatest challenge of his life. Now it is our opportunity to stand beside him.”
Barbosa and his wife, Pamela, are expecting their first child later in September.
Who is Gabriel Barbosa?
Barbosa is a 24-year old pitcher originally from Brazil.
He was signed as a teenager by the Colorado Rockies and made his professional debut at 17 years old in 2019.
He has since spent time in the New York Yankees organization before joining the Phillies for the 2025 season.
Barbosa has pitched at Single-A Clearwater, High-A Jersey Shore, Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley in the Phillies’ organization.
This season, Barbosa had a 2.35 ERA at High-A, then a 7.59 ERA at Double-A and 6.75 ERA at Triple-A.
According to Fernandez, Barbosa began to feel ill when he was at Double-A, causing him to undergo the testing that brought about this diagnosis.
Gabriel Barbosa at the WBC
Barbosa had a special honor prior to the start of the 2026 season: He pitched for Brazil at the World Baseball Classic.
It wasn’t his best showing, giving up five runs across two outings, but it was still a chance for him to represent his country, one that is just starting to blossom in its baseball talent.
“I first saw Gabriel pitch when he represented Brazil at the U15 Pan American Baseball Championship in Cartagena, Colombia,” Fernandez wrote in the GoFundMe. “Even at that young age, there was something special about him. His athleticism, delivery, competitiveness, and ability to pitch immediately stood out. A year later, I had the honor of signing him and watching him begin the pursuit of his dream. Since then, Gabriel has dedicated his life to baseball. His journey has taken him through the minor league systems of the Colorado Rockies, New York Yankees, and Philadelphia Phillies. He has also proudly represented his home country of Brazil in international competition, most recently in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.”
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