MacKenzie Gore

MacKenzie Evan Gore

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 2", Weight 197 lb.
• High School Whiteville High School
• Debut April 15, 2022

• Born February 24, 1999 in Wilmington, NC USA

BR page

Biographical Information

MacKenzie Gore was considered the top left-handed pitcher available before the 2017 amateur draft and was selected third overall by the San Diego Padres. He had been playing high school baseball in his hometown of Whiteville, NC, and was the third straight high school player taken in the draft, the first time this had happened since 1990. he put up dazzling numbers in his senior season, including an ERA of 0.19 and 158 strikeouts (against 5 walks) in 74 1/3 innings while finishing 11-0, capping a high school career in which he gave up a grand total of 16 earned runs in four years. He was named the Gatorade Male Athlete of the Year after the season, an award open to all high school athletes in the country. The only other baseball player to have previously won the prestigious award had been Dylan Bundy, in 2011. He was pictured on the cover of Sports Illustrated, alongside sprinter Sydney McLaughlin, who won the counterpart female award. He had earlier won the Gatorade National High School Player of the Year award reserved for baseball players.

He signed with the Padres less than two weeks after being drafted, for a bonus of $6.7 million. He began his professional career with the AZL Padres 1, going 0-1, 1.27 in 7 starts covering 21 1/3 innings. He then played for the Fort Wayne Wizards of the Midwest League in 2018, going 2-5, 4.45 in 16 starts.

He was named to the roster of the National League team for the 2019 Futures Game. He had an outstanding season that year, going a combined 9-2, 1.69 in 20 starts between Class A and AA. There was speculation over the next two seasons that he would soon make his major league debut, but the Padres decided not to use him during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season as they wanted him to see more minor league action before promoting him, and the minor leagues were shut down that year, then he underperformed and was beset by injuries in 2021, making just 12 starts and going 1-3, 3.93 with four different teams, including some rehabilitation assignments. He also was unimpressive in the Arizona Fall League after the season. Still, he showed up in spring training in 2022] pitching great and after just one excellent start in AAA with the El Paso Chihuahuas, he was tabbed to make his major league debut on April 15th, starting against the Atlanta Braves. He again pitched well, giving up 2 runs on 3 hits in 5 1/3 innings but was not involved in the decision. He ended up making 16 appearances for the Padres, 13 of them starts going 4-4, 4.50 and pitching 70 innings. On August 2nd that season, he was one of the key players traded by the Padres to the Washington Nationals in order to acquire OF Juan Soto in a blockbuster eight-player trade. The Nationals kept him in the minors with the Rochester Red Wings for the rest of the year.

He had his first full major league season with the Nationals in 2023, making 27 starts and going 7-10, 4.42. He logged 136 1/3 innings and struck out 151 batters. He took another step forward in 2024, making32 starts and finishing at 10-12, 3.90. He increased his total of innings pitched to 166 1/3, allowing 171 hits and 65 walks and striking out 181 batters. His control was the main issue as his walk total placed him 5th in the National League and he led the league with 14 wild pitches. He was designated as his team's Opening Day starter for the first time in 2025 and ran off with the opportunity. Facing the Philadelphia Phillies at home on March 27th, he allowed just one hit in six innings and struck out a franchise Opening Day record of 13 batters while walking none. It was his personal high for strikeouts in one game. However, the Nats still managed to lose the game, 7-3, in extra innings.

Gore lists Madison Bumgarner as his idol growing up; fittingly he is another lefty from North Carolina who was also a top draft pick.

Further Reading

• Jessica Camerato: "Gore (13 K's!) joins legend in history-making Opening Day gem: Left-hander's career-high K total also sets franchise season-opener record", mlb.com, March 27, 2025. [1]
• AJ Cassavell: "Padres nab Gore's elite left arm with 3rd pick", mlb.com, June 13, 2017. [2]
• AJ Cassavell: "Padres' Draft pick Gore earns top HS honor: No. 3 overall pick named Male Athlete of the Year", mlb.com, July 12, 2017. [3]
• AJ Cassavell: "Worth the wait: Gore delivers on hype in MLB debut", mlb.com, April 16, 2022. [4]

Related Sites

• MacKenzie Gore on mlb.com
• BR Minors page