Orioles announce utility Nick Gordon Signed to minor league contract. Gordon opted to become a minor league free agent after the season and hit the open market after coming off the Marlins roster entirely in August.
Injuries and some struggles in the minor leagues kept Gordon from making his MLB debut until 2021 and his age-25 season, but as of the 2022 season, Gordon played in 443 games Hitted 9 home runs and hit .272/.316/.427 in 136 games with the Twins. While Gordon doesn’t have the height expected of the fifth overall pick in the 2014 draft, he appears to have found himself a good multi-position weapon as he saw a lot of playing time in left field, center field, and during the season of the two center infield positions.
However, in 2023, Gordon got off to a slow start and suffered a broken tibia on a foul ball in May. He pitched in a few Triple-A games in September, but an injury ended his major league season after a .503 OPS in 34 games and 93 PA.
It also ultimately ended Gordon’s tenure in Minnesota, with the Twins trading him to the Marlins last February for the lefty Steven Ockert. The change of scenery didn’t help Gordon, as he hit .227/.258/.369 in 275 PA and 95 games, starting in left field and playing at times in center field and second base. With the Marlins looking to give younger players more playing time down the stretch, Gordon was designated for assignment and then outright eliminated in August.
The Orioles might also be interested in seeing if Gordon can be a late bloomer at age 29, just like the Orioles were when they struck gold in their revitalization. Ryan O’HearnCareers in 2023.
