| Colton Gordon | |
|---|---|
| Houston Astros – No. 61 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1998-12-20)December 20, 1998 (age 27) Saint Petersburg, Florida, U.S. | |
Bats: Left Throws: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| May 14, 2025, for the Houston Astros | |
| MLB statistics (through 2025 season) | |
| Win–loss record | 6-4 |
| Earned run average | 5.34 |
| Strikeouts | 72 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| |
Colton Zimring Gordon (born December 20, 1998) is an American professionalbaseballpitcher for theHouston Astros ofMajor League Baseball (MLB). Gordon playedcollege baseball atHillsborough Community College and theUniversity of Central Florida (UCF). He was selected by the Astros in the eighth round of the2021 MLB draft, and made his MLB debut in 2025. He pitched for theTeam Israel in the2023 World Baseball Classic.
Gordon was born and had hisbar mitzvah inSt. Petersburg, Florida, where his father Steve Gordon lives.[1][2][3][4] He is Jewish, and attendedHebrew school.[1][2][3] He grew up playingT-ball andLittle League at Fossil Park in St. Petersburg.[5] He also grew up inBradenton, Florida, with his mother, and went to Haile Middle School.[6] Gordon was a fan of theTampa Bay Rays growing up.[7]
Gordon attended and played baseball atLakewood Ranch High School in Bradenton.[8] In his senior year he was 4-2 with a 1.21ERA, as in 52.0innings he had 77strikeouts. He was ranked the # 6 left-handed pitcher in Florida coming out of high school.[9]
He playedcollege baseball first atHillsborough Community College in 2019 (7-4 with a 2.44 ERA), and attended but did not play baseball as heredshirted at theUniversity of Florida.[10][8][9][11] Gordon then pitched for theUniversity of Central Florida (UCF), with whom in 2020 he was 2-0 with a 2.35 ERA. In 2021 he was 5-2 with a 2.77 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 55.1 innings, with astrikeout/walk ratio of 5.54 (4th-best in theAmerican Athletic Conference).[12]
He underwentTommy 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][9][13] Despite the injury and surgery two months prior, he was drafted by theHouston Astros in the eighth round of the2021 Major League Baseball draft, and signed for asigning bonus of $127,500.[11][14][15]
Gordon returned from the injury in 2022 to play for the rookie–levelFlorida Complex League Astros, Single–AFayetteville Woodpeckers, and High–AAsheville Tourists. He was a combined 2-1 with a 2.35 ERA, aWHIP of 0.787, .182 average-against, and a strikeout/walk ratio of 9.75 (second-best in the minor leagues).[12][16] After the season, he pitched in theArizona Fall League for theSurprise Saguaros.[17] He was named a 2022 MiLB.com Organization All-Star.[2] Astros pitching coachBill 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 theAmerican League West, and he was the Astro's # 10 prospect according to MLB.com.[18][12] Hisfour-seam fastball from a low release point was generally 89-92 mph and could reach 94 mph, and he also threw a mid-70s curveball, a 78-82 mph slider, a low-80s sinking changeup, and a cutter.[16][10] Gordon began 2023 with the Double–ACorpus Christi Hooks, and was later promoted to the Triple-ASugar Land Space Cowboys. In 29 appearances (24 starts) split between the two affiliates, he compiled a 7-7 record and 4.14 ERA with 151 strikeouts across128+1⁄3 innings pitched.[12] He was named a 2023 MiLB.com Organization All-Star.[2]
Gordon spent 2024 with the Triple–ASugar Land Space Cowboys, making 25 appearances (24 starts) and compiling an 8–2 record and 3.94 ERA with 124 strikeouts (4th in the PCL) across123+1⁄3 innings pitched. He led the league among qualified pitchers in batting average against (.238) and WHIP (1.22), and his team went 21-4 in games he started.[19] He was twice named PCL Pitcher of the Week, and was named a PCL All Star.[20][21] On November 19, 2024, the Astros added Gordon to their40-man roster to protect him from theRule 5 draft.[22]
Gordon was optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land to begin the 2025 season.[23] In eight starts for Sugar Land, he was 4-0 with a 2.55 ERA and 43 strikeouts and eight walks across42+1⁄3 innings pitched.[24]
On May 14,2025, Gordon was promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[25] He made his MLB debut that evening as the starting pitcher atDaikin Park versus theKansas City Royals. Gordon logged4+1⁄3 innings and ceded 3 runs; the Astros won 4–3 and he received ano decision.[26] On June 6, he earned his first major league win with by tossing five innings versus theCleveland Guardians, surrendering one run on seven hits, and striking out five to set up an Astros' 4–2 win atProgressive Field.[27]
Gordon is Jewish.[28] In 2023, he pitched for theIsrael national baseball team in the2023 World Baseball Classic.[1][12]