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What to Expect from Astros Pitcher Colton Gordon

Originally posted on New Baseball Media
By Chris Studley | Last updated May 13, 2025 5:50 PM ET

Houston will call upon a prospect on the 40-man roster to replace an injured Hayden Wesneski. The Astros are promoting Colton Gordon, who was off to a strong start with Sugar Land, to join Houston’s rotation.

A Look at Gordon

The Astros didn’t have a first or second-round pick in 2021 thanks to sanctions over the sign-stealing scandal. However, Houston still managed to land four Major Leaguers: Chayce McDermott (4C), Spencer Arrighetti (6), Joey Loperfido (7), and Will Wagner (18). Now, add Colton Gordon to that list.

A product of Central Florida, Gordon was a senior who signed for $127.5K. He proceeded to jump up the system thanks to an impressive season in 2022, as he struck out 78 over 53.2 IP between the FCL, A-ball, and High-A. Gordon picked up 151 strikeouts one year later, ending the 2023 campaign in Triple-A.

He spent two more seasons in Sugar Land (AAA) before his eventual promotion.

Gordon was off to an exceptional start in 2025 with Sugar Land. The left-hander punched out 43, the second-most strikeouts in the PCL behind Carson Palmquist, and walked just eight over 42.1 IP. Opposing batters hit .270 off Gordon but he only allowed one home run in a hitter-friendly league.

The 26-year-old lefty doesn’t throw particularly hard; Gordon topped out at 94 MPH but sits primarily in the 91-93 MPH range. He also doesn’t miss a ton of bats, despite averaging over a strikeout per inning in Triple-A. Gordon’s Whiff% rate sat at 26.3%, which would be roughly on par with the MLB average if replicated.

Gordon heavily relies on a five-pitch mix, as well as mixing in a sporadic cutter. The Astros left-hander often uses a sinker, and a changeup that sits in the mid-80s, a combination that gets ground balls, even if his batted ball profile leaned slightly towards air outs.

He’ll also use a slower, mid-70s curveball, along with a harder slider that has left vertical depth and more left-to-right action. All of that comes from a flatter attack angle and low arm slot, which adds some deception to his four-seamer that he uses quite often, as you’ll see on the pitch movement chart.

Colton Gordon AAA Pitch Movement 2025: Gordon doesn’t offer a booming four-seamer with ride or velocity. But, he does have an arsenal that can keep hitters off balance. Via New Baseball Media

Per reports, the Astros will promote Colton Gordon for his MLB debut on May 14.

Analysis

Gordon may be a middle-of-the-rotation arm, one who’s not a plus strikeout pitcher per se but one who can provide value in the long term. But for right now, the Astros need immediate help for their rotation.

Houston came into play with a 20-20 record and has seen seven pitchers make at least two starts this season. While the Astros received stellar contributions from Hunter Brown, arguably a top-three starter since May of last year, and adequate results from Framber Valdez and Ronel Blanco, the team is down Arrighetti and Hayden Wesneski.

Gordon will take Wesneski’s spot in the rotation in the interim and has the opportunity to provide stability.

This article first appeared on New Baseball Media and was syndicated with permission.

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