THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,497 MLB PLAYERS | 15,833 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,497 MLB PLAYERS | 15,833 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Sign in Create Account
Sign in Create Account
General  | General | 5/31/2005

Nebraska Third Baseman Alex Gordon

Interview by Patrick Ebert

If you don't follow college baseball, or players eligible for the draft, you may want to take notice of Alex Gordon, third baseman for Nebraska. He currently is putting up very big numbers for the Cornhuskers, following up an All-American sophomore season and a solid freshman campaign. A pure slugger and a very good natural athlete, Gordon may be one of the best draft-eligible power hitters since Mark Teixeira in 2001. We talked about how he became involved with the game, how he plays the game, and the key reasons the Nebraska baseball team has had such a successful season this spring.

Patrick Ebert (PE): Can you share with our readers a little bit about yourself such as your background in baseball?

Alex Gordon (AG): I grew up surrounded by baseball. Everyone in my family played baseball or softball, so I grew up with the game. It has always been a goal of mine to play college and professional baseball.

PE: How much attention are you receiving this spring in anticipation for the draft in June, and are specific teams showing greater interest than others?

AG: No one team really stands out right now, as we still have a ways to go until the draft. We tried to take care of meeting with all of the scouts before the season started, so I did a lot of that in the fall and winter so I could focus on playing in the spring. A lot of that involved background checks, getting to know me and determining if there were any injury precautions.

PE: How tough is it for you to juggle not only your baseball career, but your college career academically?

AG: It definitely is tough. We have to spend a lot of time in the classroom and studying outside of class to make sure that we are eligible to play by keeping up our good grades up. It's a lot of hard work, but we have a lot of people here that make sure we keep up with our studies.

PE: Do you have much time for a personal life?

AG: Yeah, we get some time to enjoy ourselves and have fun. As a team we like to hang out and do things together.

PE: What is your approach to hitting?

AG: If you go up to the plate with the mentality that you're going to be successful and being confident in your abilities, a lot of times you will come out on top.

PE: Is it a difficult adjustment for a hitter to make the switch to the wood bat at the pro level?

AG: I think so. I think you have to shorten down your swing. When I started playing last summer (for Team USA) I was breaking a lot of bats. It's a lot different than metal. There is definitely a period in which you have to adjust to that change.

PE: How big of an honor was it to play for Team USA, and how did you benefit from playing on that team?

AG: It was a great honor. Just to represent Nebraska, to have a player on Team USA, was a big honor for the university. For me, to wear the USA across my chest on the jersey, particularly with what is going on in the world today, definitely was a huge honor.

PE: Are there any players in particular that you look up to and/or have tried to emulate?

AG: When I grew up Ken Griffey Jr. was one of the players I looked up to and admired. Now I watch a lot of third basemen. I try to see how players have gotten to where they are today and what they have done to be successful. A couple that come to mind include (Hank) Blalock and (Eric) Chavez, particularly since they are both left-handed hitters.

PE: Is there anything you have been working on specifically defensively?

AG: When I came here I wasn't a very good infielder, and I have been working hard on that. There is a lot of work that is involved, not just taking ground balls, but getting stronger in your legs and trying to be quicker.

PE: In what ways did attending Perfect Game events help you as a high school player?

AG: I attended the National Perfect Game Showcase at Tropicana Field in Florida, and it was a great experience. I really didn't get out of Nebraska much to play against national competition, so it definitely was a good experience to see some of the best players in the country.

PE: Did you receive much pro attention out of high school?

AG: I did a little bit. I was supposed to get drafted (early), but I told scouts that college was a big deal for me and that I wanted to attend (Nebraska) and experience that aspect.

PE: I don't think many people expected Nebraska to have the success you are this season. What are some of the key factors contributing to that success?

AG: Confidence. People didn't expect us to have this kind of season, but we expected to be successful. We have kind of a swagger to us. When we get on the field we take care of business and we have fun doing it. It definitely has been a fun year.

PE: We're seeing more and more college games televised this year. What does that mean to the players?

AG: It's exciting. College baseball really hasn't gotten a lot of publicity, and this year it has gotten out there. People are enjoying it, and it's great to see college baseball get the exposure it deserves.

PE: Does that add any incentive to a high school player possibly looking ahead and trying to make the decision between college and professional baseball?

AG: I think so. I think a lot of high school players will have the opportunity to see the improvements they need to make by watching players on TV, which will help them realize going to college is a good experience.

PE: What do you think your strengths as a player are?

AG: Hitting is definitely my strength. All-around, I'm a good average hitter and I have some pop.

PE: You have also proven to be a very patient hitter, taking your fair share of walks when opposing teams are pitching around you. With the increased importance of on-base percentage in recent years, is this an active effort on your part when you're at the plate?

AG: Yeah. I think I have a good eye at the plate, and at the beginning of the year I was trying to be too aggressive by swinging at balls that I shouldn't have been. Once I got used to that I have been showing much better patience.

PE: What do you feel your weaknesses are as a player?

AG: I think I need some improvement with my fielding. I think I will always have room to get better defensively, and it will just take continued hard work to continue to get better.

PE: What can we expect from the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Alex Gordon for the rest of this year?

AG: Good things. I don't think we've played our best baseball yet. Sometimes we're pitching well, but we're not hitting the ball so well. Once those two things come together we're going to make a run for it in the postseason.

PE: For our young readers, do you have any advice you would like to offer?

AG: I think it's a good opportunity to go to college. Not only to grow as a player, but to grow as a person. It's a fun experience, and if you do go to college, enjoy it and have fun.

PE: I appreciate your time. Best of luck to you the rest of this season.

AG: Thank you.

Patrick Ebert is affiliated with both Perfect Game USA and Brewerfan.net, and can be contacted via email at pebert@brewerfan.net.
Give us your feedback
General | Blog | 6/16/2026

Wolforth Throwing Mentorship: Article 66
Ron Wolforth
Article Image
  The Number That Just Killed MLB Expansion: 1,217   USA Today's Bob Nightengale dropped a bomb shell recently that the baseball world is still digesting. Major League Baseball wants to expand to 32 teams. Team executives are quietly opposing it and the reason has nothing to do with cities or money.   They cannot find enough healthy pitchers.   Between 2020 and 2024, professional baseball performed 1,026 Tommy John surgeries at the minor-league level alone. Another 191 at the Major League level. More than twelve hundred elbow reconstructions in five years on the best young pitchers in the world.   That is not bad luck. That is a system reporting a verdict on itself.   For fifteen years, the youth-baseball industry has chased one number: velocity significantly more than projectability and arm care.    Recruiters scout by it.    Social...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/12/2026

14u BCS Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Austin Way (2030, Yulee, FL) was 2-3 in game four, driving in a run and scoring once himself. Picked it well defensively at shortstop but really showed out in the box today. Works the barrel path to the middle of the field and whips the barrel through the zone. The RHH creates lift in the turn, and the ball jumps off the bat hot.  Sutton Walling (2029, Ponte Vedra, FL) is an athletic 5’11/160lb infielder who gets it done on both sides of the ball. Dominated at the plate right behind his teammate Way in the batting order going 3-3 with two doubles. He does a really good job with the barrel accuracy and works through contact with heavy hands. Lots of project-ability in the profile and is having a sneaky great week at the plate. Banks Kennedy (2030, Arcadia, FL) received it well behind the dish and was the leading force in this one driving in three rbis. He ended up going 2-3...
Read More
Draft | Story | 7/12/2026

2026 MLB Draft: Best Available

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
2026 MLB Draft: Best Available for Day Two  A total of 135 players heard their name called on Saturday. As always, signability, bonus pool strategy, and organizational preferences play a major role in how the board unfolds. With that being said, we saw a majority of the top half off the board get selected, but there are a number of players ranked inside our Top 150 that remain available. From high-upside prep talent to polished college performers, these are the top names still available according to our Final Top 500 Draft Board.  Top Prep Bats Available (with Top-500 Board Rankings) 38. Archer Horn, SS/RHP, St. Ignatius College Prep (CA) 58. Blake Bowen, OF, JSerra Catholic (CA) 64. James Tronstein, SS/OF, Harvard-Westlake (CA) 66. Noah Wilson, OF, McCallie School (TN) 71. Cole Koeninger, SS/RHP, Keller (TX) 77. Sean Dunlap, C, Crown Point (IN) 82. Alex Weingartner, OF//RHP,...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/11/2026

17U National Elite Heads to Hoover

Kinley Kitchens
Article Image
Another week, another big tournament makes its way to Hoover.  This week, 104 of the nation’s top 17U teams will make their way to Hoover for the 2026 Perfect Game 17U National Elite Championship.  Featuring nationally ranked teams, Division I commits, and many of the country’s top 2027 players, the tournament promises another week of elite competition as teams battle for one of the biggest championships of the summer.  With many players already committed to some of the nation’s top college programs, every game in Hoover this week offers a glimpse into the future of college baseball.  Now entering its eighth year, the National Elite Championship continues to bring in the nation’s best. Past champions include Team Elite Scout Team, Canes National, USA Prime National, Scorpions/Giants Scout Team, 5 Star Performance National, Knights Knation Scout...
Read More
Draft | Story | 7/12/2026

2026 MLB Draft: Day One Recap

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
Storylines Heavy College Run Early We came into the day knowing that there were a lot of talented college players at the top of the board, more specifically college bats. That came to light very early in the day, as we saw just two prep players selected within the first ten picks. The college preference lasted throughout most of the entire first round. Nearly 75% of the first 40 selections were college players. It is clear teams want players at the top of the draft that can quickly get through the system and help the big league club as soon as possible. Underslot Strategy Throughout this cycle, we knew that once you get past the first handful of picks the difference in value you were getting for let say pick ten was not that difference compared to pick 30. Because there was a large collection of players that are relatively close in value, teams were looking to get creative. We saw this...
Read More
Draft | Mock Draft | 7/11/2026

Final 2026 MLB Mock Draft

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
It's draft day and that means it's time for our final Mock Draft with the 2026 group. 1. Chicago White Sox | Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA It’s between Roch and Grady Emerson at this pick, though there have been heavy rumors of a very late deal potentially with another top 5 pick. This boils down to negotiations and we think that they will get there.  2. Tampa Bay Rays | Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian (Tex.) If Grady isn’t the first pick then he is almost certain to be the second pick. The Rays like to get creative but Emerson is a well worth prospect in his own right.  3.  Minnesota Twins | Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech This is likely the floor for Roch Cholowsky, though the Twins might prefer Lackey to Roch outright. They are thought to be in on the top college players with Emerson a distant third.  4. San Francisco Giants | Jackson Flora, RHP, UC...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/10/2026

Ohio Valley Regional Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
‘28 INF Christian Ramirez (OH) WALKS IT OFF for @CincyDBulls2028 to win the chip! Has shown impressive tools throughout the weekend and in this AB showed the ability to adjust to the offspeed and win the game. #OVElite pic.twitter.com/J3MXJXFnbM — Perfect Game Ohio Valley (@PG_OhioValley) July 5, 2026 Christian Ramirez (2028, Mason, Ohio) helped his team win the championship batting out of the two-hole. Though he didn’t win tournament MVP, Ramirez was my favorite player to watch take a plate appearance. He has an advanced feel for the zone and sees the ball out of the pitcher’s hand quicker than most. Ramirez led the tournament with eight walks, batting .375 with a .583 on-base percentage. Much more than just the approach, the swing is efficient with little wasted movement, creates quality separation, and puts him in an excellent position at contact. With such an...
Read More
College | Story | 7/10/2026

Cape Cod Notebook No. 1

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Cape Cod League Scouting Notebook  Maverick Rizy | Ole Miss | RHP | Brewster Whitecaps  The towering 6-foot-9, 250-pound right-hander continues to stand out with one of the more unique looks on the Cape, pairing a massive frame with a low three-quarter slot that creates difficult angles for hitters. While his fastball velocity was down from its typical mid-90s range during this look, working mostly 90-92 mph, it still generated plenty of swing-and-miss. He paired the heater with an 81-83 mph gyro slider featuring tight bullet-spin action and mixed in an 85-mph changeup with quality separation. Rizy battled his command early in the outing I saw, before settling in to strike out five over three innings, showing the ability to adjust as the game progressed. Through 12.2 Cape League innings, he has recorded 18 strikeouts, and his combination of size, deception, and projectability...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/10/2026

16u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 4

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
16u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 ‘28 C Nico Ayars (FL) coming off a monster game yesterday & comes up with the biggest swing of this one. A triple right down the LF line to drive in two. Came into today hitting .833 this week. #WWBA @PG_Uncommitted @Florida_PG pic.twitter.com/Hvb7UvtkNi — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) July 8, 2026 Nico Ayars (2028, Fort Myers, Fla.) has just been on the barrel throughout the week so far, collecting six hits across the first four games of the tournament. That didn’t slow down on day three at Mt. Zion High School as he came up with the biggest swing of the day, hitting a triple down the left field line to drive in a pair. It’s been a standout week so far for Ayars and he’ll be a driving force behind the run through the tourney for CBU 2028 Scout Team Lawson. Rylan Jenkins (2028, Tennille, Ga.) put...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/10/2026

14u & 17u West Scout Notes: Days 1-2

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Tre Hallberg (‘27, AZ) hammers this out to deep LCF for a 2-run 💣. Continues to stand out at the plate. Power will only continue to develop #WWBAWest @PG_Uncommitted https://t.co/NlWlDygpwg pic.twitter.com/RHrgYXLmwm — Perfect Game Four Corners (@PG_FourCorners) July 10, 2026 Tre Hallberg (2027, Mesa, Ariz.) was nearly impossible to get out over the first two days of action, going 7-for-9 with a triple and a home run. A balanced right-handed swing stays compact to contact. There is quick hand speed through the zone with feel for the barrel. Hallberg has a strong feel to hit to go with power that continues to develop. The upside is apparent.  William Garcia Falmer (2027, El Dorado Hills, Calif.) collected a pair of mulit-hit games over the course of day one and two, going 5-for-7 with two doubles, a homer, and seven runs driven in. Garcia Falmer features a physical build...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 7/10/2026

Windy City Invite & Open Scout Notes: Part 2

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Windy City Invite & Open Scout Notes: Part 1 Braedon Paczocha (2028, Palmyra, Wis.), a 5-foot-11, 180-pound frame catcher for GRB STiKS 16U Black, displayed a quick bat with the ability to do damage. Showed a good feel for the barrel throughout the weekend, hitting .538 (7-for-13) with 3 doubles, 8 RBI, 2 stolen bases, and a 1.376 OPS. Also received well behind the plate with quick, efficient transfers and displayed good instincts.    ’28 1B Brock Hamilton (IL) displays some present strength, driving this ball deep into the LCF gap to leg out a triple. Creates loud contact off the bat and does damage here. #WCInvite @WhitesoxAce pic.twitter.com/6EK81gG9Wi — Perfect Game Illinois (@PG_Illinois) July 5, 2026 Brock Hamilton (2028, Flossmoor, Ill.), one of the top first basemen in Illinois, brings a physical 6-foot-5, 240-pound frame with plenty of present strength...
Read More
Loading more articles...
About Perfect Game :: Contact us :: Terms of Use :: Privacy Policy :: Testimonials :: Job Opportunities
Copyright 1994-2026 by Perfect Game. All rights reserved. No portion of this information may be reprinted or reproduced without the written consent of Perfect Game.