Gordon stayed in-state for college ball, going from his high school in Myrtle Beach to attend Clemson. He worked his way into being one of the Tigers’ top relievers as a freshman, then was the only pitcher in their weekend rotation for the entirety of the 2023 season. He began his junior year as a starter but was moved to the bullpen, where he found some success as Clemson’s closer, saving 11 games, and he was taken by the Angels in the fourth round of last year’s Draft. He’s been given the chance to develop as a starter, making his pro debut this year with High-A Tri-City.
Gordon does have a combination of size and repertoire to potentially start. The 6-foot-5 right-hander does have four pitches in his arsenal, though none of them jump off the page. His fastball sits around 93 mph, though he can reach back for 96-97 mph at times. In college, he favored his mid-80s slider over his upper-70s curve, though both can miss some bats and he was featuring the curveball more in the early stages of his pro career. He does have a mid-80s changeup, but he doesn’t go to the offspeed offering very often.
Whether Gordon can remain in a rotation will really come down to his ability to develop a true out pitch and his command. He threw a ton of strikes over his first two years at Clemson, then regressed in his Draft year, and while he’s been around the zone at the outset of his Angels career, it’s been more control than command, and his stuff has gotten hit. A fastball-breaking ball combo out of the bullpen could tick up and let him move quicker.
