Clemson's Gordon drafted by Angels: Coach Tim Christy discusses impact on his program
With one year of eligibility remaining at Clemson, junior right-hand pitcher Austin Gordon was selected 110th overall by the Los Angeles Angels on July 15 in the fourth round of the MLB 2024 Draft.
After settling in as a closer, Gordon, winner of the Stowe Award (given to Clemson’s most valuable pitcher), finished 2-2 with a 4.35 ERA, 11 saves (sixth in the nation), and 53 strikeouts across 39 innings in 2024.
In his final appearance on the mound, Gordon struck out 10 batters in five innings in the season-ending 10-11 loss to Florida in Game 2 of the Clemson Super Regional at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
On July 17, the former Myrtle Beach High Seahawk signed a contract worth $572,500 with the Angels officially ending his three-year career in the Upstate.
According to his former head coach Tim Christy, the 2024 Region 6 4A Coach of the Year, Gordon is the first former Seahawk baseball player to sign with a professional team.
During his 17 years at Myrtle Beach, Christy coached Gordon, 2021 graduate, and his younger brother Addison Gordon, who was registering for classes at Clemson when his brother was drafted. Christy also faced Tigers standout Cam Cannarella from Hartsville High and two-time football national champion Hunter Renfrow from Socastee High, whom he called "a big leaguer if he had chosen to concentrate on baseball."
Christy talked with ClemsonSportsTalk.com about the impact Gordon's journey to California has on his baseball program.
Q: How proud are you, the school, and the community of Gordon?
A: "We are all so proud of him. It's an unbelievable opportunity but when you have a dream, a plan, work ethic, and high character, it can be done. He's a great kid and I think the sky's the limit."
Q: Austin's journey to the Angels wasn't without a bump in the road. He was a starting pitcher in 2023 and projected to be the same throughout 2024. How do you think he handled the move to the bullpen?
A: "Obviously, I think pitchers at that level want to be weekend guys, and when they moved him into the bullpen, at first, I think he was a little slow to embrace it. But he did embrace it. He was a huge factor in them making it to a Super Regional. Even though I hate they lost to Florida, that performance -- striking out 10 in five innings -- took him over the edge. As they say, that game made him some money."
Q: Weeks ago, I asked Carvers Bay Early College and Career High School football coach Matthew Richard how the college transfer portal affects his program. Carvers Bay is a Class A school and Myrtle Beach is 4A and moving to 5A in 2024. How is the portal affecting you, a baseball coach at a larger school?
A: "Honestly, it's killing high school baseball recruiting. The kids are not just competing against high school players, but they are competing against grown men in the portal. Austin Gordon wouldn't have gotten the same chance with Clemson three or four years ago because he was projectable. At that level now, coaches can't take a chance on projection. They have to win because if they don't, they're going to be fired."
Q: How do you assist and support players, who have the potential and desire to play at the highest collegiate level, but don't have any high major offers?
A: "Well, what I've done, personally is taken advantage of my relationships with coaches at lower levels, because what's happening now is Division II, Division III have turned into the new junior college. You have the opportunity to go there and develop into a really good player, and two years later, you can go to the portal and be picked up by Division I schools."
Q: Former Clemson baseball coach Monte Lee (2016-2022) took a chance on Gordon, which paid off for both the Tigers and Gordon. What can you take from his journey and pass down to your current and future players?
A: "First, it tells our players you can do it. Now, you have to have a skill set and everybody won't be 6'5 and throw 97 MPH. But, if you have an outstanding skill set, work ethic, and desire, it's doable. I can point to him, and say there's a guy who bought into the plan, and look where it got him. Like I said, it's an unbelievable opportunity.
"Second, another thing that I can touch on is that no matter what you choose as a career people will do their homework on you. I had teams call me and ask about Austin. What was he like? Did his teammates like him? What was the family like? What kind of student was he? How was his work ethic? If you don't work hard and you're not a good person, people will find out. You can't hide anymore. He was taken in the fourth round because he checked all the boxes."
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