Tanner Robert Gordon (born October 26, 1997) is an American professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...

for the

Colorado Rockies The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Division. Th ...

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

(MLB). Gordon played two years at

John A. Logan College John A. Logan College is a public community college in Carterville, Illinois. It is part of the Illinois Community College System. As of 2022, it had a total enrollment of 3,272 students. History John A. Logan College was established in 1967 ...

before transferring and playing one season for the

Indiana Hoosiers The Indiana Hoosiers are the intercollegiate sports teams and players of Indiana University Bloomington, named after the demonym for people from the state of Indiana. The Hoosiers participate in NCAA Division I, Division I of the National Coll ...

. He was selected by the

Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Eas ...

in the 6th round of the

2019 MLB draft The 2019 Major League Baseball draft was held from June 3 to 5, 2019. The draft assigned amateur baseball players to MLB teams. The draft order was set based on the reverse order of the 2018 MLB season standings. In addition, compensation picks ...

Early life and amateur career

High school career

Gordon played baseball at

Champaign Central High School Champaign Central High School is a high school located in Champaign, Illinois. It has 1,509 students in grades 9- 12. The principal is Joe Williams. It is part of the Champaign Unit 4 School District school system. Its sports teams are the Cha ...

. Nicknamed "Big Oak" in high school, Gordon was named the News-Gazette "All-Area performer" in 2016, his senior year.

College career

After high school, Gordon played his first two seasons of

college baseball College baseball is baseball that is played by Student athlete, student-athletes at institutions of higher education. In the United States, college baseball is sanctioned mainly by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA); in Japan, ...

, a

junior college A junior college is a type of post-secondary institution that offers vocational and academic training that is designed to prepare students for either skilled trades and technical occupations or support roles in professions such as engineering, a ...

Carterville, Illinois Carterville is a city in Williamson County, Illinois, United States. At the 2020 census, the city's population was 5,848. The city is part of the Carbondale-Marion-Herrin combined statistical area and has grown considerably as a residential co ...

. Gordon had a

win-loss record In sports, a winning percentage or Copeland score is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. The statistic is commonly used in standings or rankings to compare teams or individuals. It is defined as wins divided by the tot ...

of 6–0 in 14

games played Games played (GP) is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated (in any capacity); the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested. Associat ...

and 8

games started In baseball statistics, games started (denoted by GS) indicates the number of games pitched, games that a pitcher has starting pitcher, started for his team. A pitcher is credited with starting the game if he throws the first pitch to the first opp ...

in his freshman season; he finished with an

ERA An era is a span of time. Era or ERA may also refer to: * Era (geology), a subdivision of geologic time * Calendar era Education * Academy of European Law (German: '), an international law school * ERA School, in Melbourne, Australia * E ...

of 3.44 and recorded 52

strikeout In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It means the batter is out, unless the third strike is not caught by the catcher and the batter reaches first base safe ...

s and 11 walks in 49²⁄₃

innings pitched In baseball, the statistic innings pitched (IP) is the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of Batter (baseball), batters and baserunners that have been put out while the pitcher is on the Baseball field#Pitcher's mou ...

while giving up only 2

home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the Baseball (ball), ball is hit in such a way that the batting (baseball), batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safe (baseball), safely in one play without any error ( ...

s. In his sophomore season at John A. Logan, Gordon went 9-2 and started all 12 of the games he appeared in, finishing with an ERA of 2.06 while recording 104 strikeouts and giving up 20 walks and 3 home runs in 70 innings pitched. Across both of his seasons at John A. Logan, Gordon went 15–2 in 26 games played and 20 games started, finishing with an ERA of 2.63. He struck out 156 batters in 119²⁄₃ innings for a K/9 rate of 11.73, allowed 31 walks for a BB/9 rate of 2.63, and gave up only 5 home runs for a HR/9 rate of 0.38. After his sophomore season, Gordon transferred to and played for the

for his junior season in 2019, going 6–6 with a 3.81 ERA with 90 strikeouts and 19 walks in innings pitched.

Professional career

Atlanta Braves

Gordon was drafted by the

in the 6th round, with the 187th overall selection, of the

2019 Major League Baseball draft The 2019 Major League Baseball draft was held from June 3 to 5, 2019. The draft assigned amateur baseball players to MLB teams. The draft order was set based on the reverse order of the 2018 MLB season standings. In addition, compensation picks ...

. He made his professional debut with the rookie–level

Danville Braves The Danville Braves were a Minor League Baseball team in Danville, Virginia. They were an Advanced Rookie-level team in the Appalachian League and were a farm team of the Atlanta Braves. The Braves have played home games at American Legion Post 3 ...

. Gordon did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

. Gordon returned to action in 2021 with the Single–A

Augusta GreenJackets The Augusta GreenJackets are a Minor League Baseball team of the Carolina League and the Single-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. They play their home games at SRP Park in North Augusta, South Carolina. History Augusta was a member of the S ...

and High–A

Rome Braves The Rome Emperors are a Minor League Baseball team of the South Atlantic League and the High-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. They are located in Rome, Georgia, and play their home games at AdventHealth Stadium. From 2003 to 2023, the team wa ...

. In 22 games (21 starts) between the two affiliates, he compiled a 6–8 record and 3.90 ERA with 109 strikeouts across innings pitched. In 2022, Gordon made 25 starts split between Rome and the Double–A

Mississippi Braves The Mississippi Braves, or M-Braves as they were referred to locally, were a Minor League Baseball team based in Pearl, Mississippi, a suburb of Jackson, from 2005 to 2024. They were the Double-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves and competed in ...

, registering a 12–7 record and 4.64 ERA with 133 strikeouts over innings of work. Gordon began the 2023 campaign with Mississippi and was later promoted to the Triple–A

Gwinnett Stripers The Gwinnett Stripers are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. They play their home games at Coolray Field in unincorporated Gwinnett County, Georgia ...

, for whom he pitched to a 1–4 record and 8.28 ERA with 21 strikeouts over 6 games (5 starts).

Colorado Rockies

On July 24, 2023, Gordon and

Victor Vodnik Victor Francisco Vodnik (born October 9, 1999) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2023. Career Vodnik grew up in Rialto, California and attended Rialto ...

were traded to the

in exchange for Pierce Johnson. He spent the remainder of the season with the Double–A

Hartford Yard Goats The Hartford Yard Goats are a Minor League Baseball team based in Hartford, Connecticut. The Yard Goats, which play in the Eastern League, are the Double-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. The team was founded in 2016 when the New Britain Ro ...

and Triple–A

Albuquerque Isotopes The Albuquerque Isotopes are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. They play home games at Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at an ...

. Gordon logged a 2–2 record and 5.96 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 4 starts for Hartford, and posted a 1–1 record and 4.31 ERA with 34 strikeouts over 6 starts for Albuquerque. He began the 2024 season with Albuquerque. On July 7, 2024, Gordon was selected to the

40-man roster A Major League Baseball roster is a list of players who are allowed, by league agreement, to play for a Major League Baseball (MLB) team. Each MLB team maintains two rosters: an active roster of players eligible to participate in an MLB game, an ...

and promoted to the major leagues for the first time. Gordon made his debut later that day against the

Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team ...

Coors Field Coors Field is a baseball stadium in downtown Denver, Colorado. It is the ballpark of Major League Baseball's Colorado Rockies. Opened in 1995 Major League Baseball season, 1995, the park is located in Denver's LoDo, Lower Downtown neighborhood, ...

. Gordon pitched a perfect first inning, which included striking out the first two batters he faced,

Adam Frazier Adam Timothy Frazier (born December 14, 1991) is an American professional baseball second baseman and outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners ...

and Bobby Witt Jr. However, Gordon gave up three straight hits to begin the second inning, the third being an RBI-

single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...

Freddy Fermín Freddy Antonio Fermín (born May 16, 1995) is a Venezuelan professional baseball catcher for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). Career Fermín signed with the Kansas City Royals organization as an international free agent on ...

. Two

at bat In baseball, an at bat (AB) or time at bat is a batter's turn batting against a pitcher. An at bat is different from a plate appearance. A batter is credited with a plate appearance regardless of what happens upon completion of his turn at bat, ...

s later,

Maikel García Maikel Jose García (born March 3, 2000) is a Venezuelan professional baseball infielder for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2022. Career García signed with the Kansas City Royals as an internatio ...

hit a three-run

, giving the Royals a 4–0 advantage, with all four runs being scored in the second inning. Gordon gave up a solo home run to

MJ Melendez Mervyl Samuel Melendez Jr. (born November 29, 1998) is an American professional baseball left fielder and catcher for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2022. Amateur career Melendez attended St. Jam ...

in the 7th inning and was ultimately pulled after pitching innings; he allowed 5

earned run In baseball, an earned run is any run that was fully enabled by the offensive team's production in the face of competent play from the defensive team. Conversely, an unearned run is a run that would not have been scored without the aid of an erro ...

s and 8

hits Hits or H.I.T.S. may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * '' H.I.T.S.'', 1991 album by New Kids on the Block * ''...Hits'' (Phil Collins album), 1998 * ''Hits'' (compilation series), 1984–2006; 2014, a British compilation album s ...

while striking out 4 batters and allowing no walks. The Rockies lost the game 10–1, with Gordon taking the loss. In 8 starts for Colorado during his rookie campaign, Gordon struggled to an 0-6 record and 8.65 ERA with 26 strikeouts across innings pitched. Gordon was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque to begin the 2025 season.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gordon, Tanner 1997 births Living people Albuquerque Isotopes players 21st-century American sportsmen Arizona Complex League Rockies players Augusta GreenJackets players Baseball players from Champaign, Illinois Colorado Rockies players Danville Braves players Gwinnett Stripers players Hartford Yard Goats players Indiana Hoosiers baseball players John A. Logan Volunteers baseball players Major League Baseball pitchers Mississippi Braves players Rome Braves players