2019 Mets draft profile: Cole Gordon

Born: Tampa, Florida

Age: 23 (10/02/95)

Height/Weight: 6’5”/245 lbs.

Position: RHP

Bats/Throws: L/R

School: Mississippi State University (Starkville, Mississippi)

Cole Gordon attended Steinbrenner High School in Tampa, Florida, where he was named to various honorary teams and won a variety of performance awards. He enrolled at Mississippi State University after graduating, but redshirted in his freshman year. He finally got back on the field in 2016 and was used primarily as a pinch hitting, batting .333/.429/.611 in 18 at-bats in 21 games. In 2017, he appeared in 25 games, starting seven at first base and five as the Bulldogs’ DH. While he hit only .158/.258/.316, he still made a major impact on the team that year. Injuries decimated the Mississippi State bullpen, and despite never having pitched in high school or college, Gordon was called on to pitch out of the bullpen. He ended up pitching 55.0 innings, posting a 5.69 ERA, allowing 47 hits, walking 30, and striking out 59. Cole’s transition would be permanent, and he remained in the bullpen for the remainder of his time at Mississippi State. In 2018, he posted a 4.26 ERA in 61.0 innings, allowing 51 hits, walking 32, striking out 68, and notching 4 saves. In 2019, through the NCAA Super Regionals, he posted a 5.16 ERA in 29.2 innings, allowing 26 hits, walking 17, striking out 45, and notching 9 saves.

Gordon throws from a high-three-quarters arm slot with a simple delivery consisting of a slight hip turn and leg lift. His fastball sits in the high-80s-to-low-90s, with arm-side run and sink. In addition, he can also cut it. He complements his fastball with a nasty slider with tightly spun late bite. He can control both of his pitches, mixing them effectively and pounding the zone. Though relatively new to pitching, Gordon is machine-like on the mound, showing no emotion and going about his business machinelike, regardless of the situation he finds himself in.