| MacKenzie Gore | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Gore pitching in the 2019 All-Star Futures Game | |||
| San Diego Padres | |||
| Pitcher | |||
| Born: February 24, 1999 Whiteville, North Carolina | |||
| |||
MacKenzie Evan Gore (born February 24, 1999) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the San Diego Padres organization.
Gore attended Whiteville High School in Whiteville, North Carolina. As a junior, he was 12–1 with a 0.08 earned run average (ERA) and 174 strikeouts in 88+1⁄3 innings pitched.[1][2] During the season, he threw a no-hitter with 18 strikeouts.[3] He led Whiteville to the 1-A state championship four years in a row, winning three, with Gore being named MVP of all three victories.[4] During the summer 2016, he played in the Perfect Game Classic at Petco Park.[5] Gore committed to the East Carolina University to play college baseball.[6]
Gore was considered one of the top prospects for the 2017 Major League Baseball draft.[7][8][9] He was drafted by the San Diego Padres with the third overall pick. He signed a rookie contract on June 23, 2017.[10] He spent 2017 with the Arizona League Padres where he pitched in seven games, posting a 0–1 record, a 1.27 ERA, and a 0.98 WHIP in seven starts.[11] He spent 2018 with the Fort Wayne TinCaps, going 2–5 with a 4.45 ERA in 16 starts.[12]
Gore began 2019 with the Lake Elsinore Storm,[13] earning California League All-Star honors.[14] That June, he was named to the 2019 All-Star Futures Game.[15] After pitching to a 7–1 record and a 1.02 ERA over 15 starts, striking out 110 batters over 79+1⁄3 innings, he was promoted to the Amarillo Sod Poodles in early July.[16][17][18] He produced a 2–1 record with a 4.15 ERA over 21+2⁄3 innings for Amarillo.[19]
At the start of 2020, MLBPipeline rated Gore as the best pitching prospect in MLB (#5 overall).[20]
