Scouting Report

Scouting grades: Fastball: 45 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 50 | Overall: 40

Gordon began his time at Oregon as a two-year reliever before undergoing internal brace surgery that wiped out his junior year in 2023. He returned to the Ducks as a starter but posted a 5.13 ERA in that role, leading him to land in the 13th round to the Mets in ‘24. He enjoyed a breakout first full season in the High-A and Double-A rotations, finishing with a 3.36 ERA and 147 strikeouts in 128 2/3 innings. Gordon was one of only 13 Minor League pitchers to post a K rate above 27 percent (27.3 in his case) over at least 120 frames.

The 6-foot righty isn’t going to blow many batters away with his 91-94 mph fastball, but he has the strong set of secondaries to get outs as a starter. His 83-86 mph slider was his most-used pitch in 2025 (per Synergy), and that’s understandable because he commands its tight break to the gloveside edge of the zone so well. An upper-70s curveball gives him something with a bit more of a hump that he can get for swings below the knees. Gordon deserves credit for moving to a kick-change after barely using a cambio in his last year at Eugene, and the 83-85 mph pitch is a natural fit for his supination tendencies. With the addition of the armside offering, he ran reverse splits in ’25.

Gordon used his breaking pitches to get batters to expand the zone in Binghamton and actually improved his walk rate as he climbed up the Mets' system. His mechanics are loose and easy, and he could even get to above-average control if this trend holds. Gordon’s lack of velo holds back his ceiling, but his development into a backend starting option would be a massive win for a 13th-rounder.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 45 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40

Gordon pitched primarily out of the bullpen in his first two years at the University of Oregon but didn’t see any game action at all as a junior in 2023 after undergoing internal brace surgery. He was a full-blown starter for the Ducks in 2024 with middling results (5.13 ERA, 87 strikeouts in 94 2/3 innings) and went to the Mets as 13th-round pick that July, signing for $150,000. New York moved him to High-A Brooklyn to begin his first full season, and he earned a promotion to Double-A Binghamton in July. 

The 6-foot right-hander’s biggest improvement in his early days as a pro has been the addition of an 83-85 mph kick change, following in the footsteps of Hayden Birdsong, Clay Holmes and others. It’s been extremely effective with a whiff rate near 40 percent at High-A as it dove below bats with tons of fade. The new grip makes sense because his 83-85 mph slider and mid-70s curveball both flash above-average with solid, tight break. Gordon isn’t a huge velocity guy with a fastball running around 92-94, touching 95, and he spreads his usage around that mix to keep batters guessing. 

Gordon’s command improved in the early looks in the Eastern League, but with stuff moving different directions, he’ll need to work to keep the walk rate below 10 percent at the upper levels. The move to the kick change speaks well to his ability to adapt and take on new concepts, and he’s already one of the big success stories of the Mets’ 2024 Draft class.

Awards

EAS Pitcher of the Month

Month	Team
08/2025

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	04/02/2026	Binghamton Rumble Ponies placed RHP R.J. Gordon on the 7-day injured list.
	03/05/2026	RHP R.J. Gordon assigned to New York Mets Prospects.
	07/07/2025	RHP R.J. Gordon assigned to Binghamton Rumble Ponies from Brooklyn Cyclones.
	07/07/2025	Binghamton Rumble Ponies activated RHP R.J. Gordon.
	07/07/2025	Binghamton Rumble Ponies activated RHP R.J. Gordon.
	04/01/2025	RHP R.J. Gordon assigned to Brooklyn Cyclones.
	07/22/2024	New York Mets signed RHP R.J. Gordon.
	02/08/2024	RHP R.J. Gordon assigned to Oregon Ducks.