Colton Gordon | |
---|---|
Houston Astros – No. 74 | |
Pitcher | |
Born: Saint Petersburg, Florida, U.S. | December 20, 1998|
Bats: Left Throws: Left |
Colton Zimring Gordon (born December 20,1998) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Houston Astros organization. In college,he pitched for Hillsborough Community College and the University of Central Florida. Despite having undergone Tommy John surgery two months prior,he was drafted by the Astros in the eighth round of the 2021 Major League Baseball draft. He pitched for the Team Israel in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
Gordon was born and had his bar mitzvah in St. Petersburg,Florida,where his father Steve Gordon lives. [1] [2] [3] [4] He is Jewish,and attended Hebrew school. [1] [2] [3] He grew up playing T-ball and Little League at Fossil Park in St. Petersburg. [5] He also grew up in Bradenton,Florida,with his mother,and went to Haile Middle School. [6]
Gordon attended and played baseball at Lakewood Ranch High School in Bradenton. [7] In his senior year he was 4-2 with a 1.21 ERA,as in 52.0 innings he had 77 strikeouts. He was ranked the # 6 left-handed pitcher in Florida coming out of high school. [8]
He played college baseball first at Hillsborough Community College in 2019 (7-4 with a 2.44 ERA),and attended but did not play baseball as he redshirted at the University of Florida. [9] [7] [8] [10] Gordon then pitched for the University of Central Florida (UCF),with whom in 2020 he was 2-0 with a 2.35 ERA,and in 2021 he was 5-2 with a 2.77 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 55.1 innings,with a strikeout/walk ratio of 5.54 (4th-best in the American Athletic Conference). [11] He underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2021 during his senior year at UCF,and was named Second Team All-Conference and to the AAC All-Academic Team despite missing half the season. [6] [3] [8] [12] Despite the injury and surgery two months prior,he was drafted by the Houston Astros in the eighth round of the 2021 Major League Baseball draft,and signed for a signing bonus of $127,500. [10] [13] [14]
Gordon returned from the injury in 2022 to play for the Florida Complex League Astros,Class A Fayetteville Woodpeckers,and Class A+ Asheville Tourists. He was a combined 2-1 with a 2.35 ERA,a WHIP of 0.787,.182 average-against,and a strikeout/walk ratio of 9.75 (second-best in the minor leagues). [11] [15] After the season,he pitched in the Arizona Fall League for the Surprise Saguaros. [16] He was named a 2022 MiLB.com Organization All-Star. [2] Astros pitching coach Bill Murphy said "[Gordon] had a fantastic year last year.... The sky's the limit for him." [1]
In March 2023,MiLB.com named Gordon the "emergent star" of the American League West,and he was the Astro's # 10 prospect according to MLB.com. [17] [11] His four-seam fastball from a low release point is generally 89-92 mph and can reach 94 mph,and he also throws a mid-70s curveball,a 78-82 mph slider,a low-80s sinking changeup,and a cutter. [15] [9]
Gordon began 2023 with the Class AA Corpus Christi Hooks. [11]
Gordon is Jewish. [18] In 2023,he pitched for the Israel national baseball team in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. [1] [11] He said:"Putting on the jersey,it’s bigger than a baseball game,representing a nation of people and our families and heritage." [3] He noted further:"Not only am I excited to showcase my talents,it's also to honor [my parents and grandparents] and appreciate them and appreciate the family lineage and heritage. I'm excited and honored to represent the team." [1]
Brent Terry Strom is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher and active pitching coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks. His MLB playing career spanned from 1972 to 1973 and 1975 to 1977 for the New York Mets,Cleveland Indians and San Diego Padres. He served as pitching coach for the Houston Astros in 1996 and from 2014 to 2021,helping guide the club to the 2017 World Series championship. He also coached the Kansas City Royals from 2000 to 2001. According to an interview with Tommy John,Strom was the second pitcher to receive Tommy John surgery.
This a partial list of Minor League Baseball players in the Houston Astros system and the rosters of their minor league affiliates:
Below are select minor league players and the rosters of the minor league affiliates of the Baltimore Orioles:
Lance Graye McCullers Jr. is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Astros selected McCullers in the first round of the 2012 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut in 2015,and was an All-Star in 2017.
Joshua Alexander Zeid is an American-Israeli former professional baseball pitcher and current coach. He plays for Team Israel. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros.
Kenneth Robert Giles is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Atlanta Braves organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies,Houston Astros,Toronto Blue Jays,and Seattle Mariners.
Daniel Allen Winkler is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs.
Dylan Edward Cease is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Chicago Cubs selected him in the sixth round of the 2014 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut in 2019.
Christopher Michael Devenski,also known as "Devo",is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previousy played in MLB for the Houston Astros,Arizona Diamondbacks,Philadelphia Phillies,and Los Angeles Angels. Prior to playing professionally,Devenski played college baseball for Golden West College and California State University,Fullerton. The Chicago White Sox selected Devenski in the 25th round,with the 771st overall selection,of the 2011 MLB draft. He was named an MLB All-Star in 2017.
Charles Forrest Whitley is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Eric Lawrence Skoglund is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City Royals from 2017 to 2019.
Nicholas Fanti is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 31st round of the 2015 Major League Baseball Draft.
Bryan Garcia is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers.
Jesús Guillermo Luzardo is a Peruvian-born American professional baseball pitcher for the Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Oakland Athletics. To honor his parents,he played for the Venezuelan national baseball team in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
Brandon David Keith Bailey is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros.
Corbin Montgomery Martin is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Houston Astros.
Humberto Castellanos is a Mexican professional baseball pitcher in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros.
Peter Joseph Solomon is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He played college baseball at the University of Notre Dame. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros and Arizona Diamondbacks.
Kervin Alexander Castro is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher in the New York Yankees organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs. He signed with the Giants as an international free agent in 2015,and made his MLB debut with them in 2021.
Nick Allgeyer is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays.