This time around, Jordan Gore is a pitcher for the Cedar Rapids Kernels

CEDAR RAPIDS – Way back in the summer of 2018, Jordan Gore got an appearance in for the Cedar Rapids Kernels as an emergency pitcher mopping up for an inning in a blowout loss.

An infielder at the time, he didn’t really have control of a fastball he used exclusively. But that fastball reached the low-90s.

It was amazing for a guy who never threw in college at Coastal Carolina, who had to go through Tommy John elbow surgery and the resulting rehab there.

“Yeah, I remember throwing in C.R.,” Gore said, after the Kernels topped Wisconsin, 9-2, Tuesday night at Veterans Memorial Stadium. “It was fun, everybody was laughing and having a big time because it was a joke back then.”

It’s not a joke anymore. At the suggestion of the Minnesota Twins, Gore changed from being an infielder to being a pitcher after the 2019 minor-league season.

He’d played just under 100 games at Double-A Pensacola, but saw the proverbial handwriting on the wall.

“I do miss playing defense,” he said. “I loved to do that. But as far as being at-bat, no, I’m good. I liked (hitting) the fastball, but they started throwing curveballs and changeups and all kinds of other stuff. That’s what I didn’t like.”

The 6-foot, 180-pound right-hander has been a very solid member of the Kernels bullpen in his first official go-around on a professional mound. He threw 1 2/3 innings of shutout ball Tuesday night to lower his earned run average to 1.50 in six appearances.

He has a 2-0 record. The fastball reaches 95 mph these days, and Gore has developed a breaking ball and split-finger pitch to go with it, an arsenal that has allowed him to strike out 17 guys in 12 innings.

His stuff plays, for sure

“It’s been an adjustment,” he said. “It’s fun to learn, learn what you can do. Do whatever it takes. The ultimate goal is to win the game. Just kind of trying to contribute any way I can. Learning my body. Trying to stay healthy. It’s different, but it hasn’t been bad, I don’t think.”

The Kernels (9-10) weren’t bad Tuesday night, rolling to an early 5-0 lead with two runs in the first inning and three in the third. Seth Gray had a two-run home run in the first and RBI double in the third.

Wisconsin leadoff hitter Korry Howell went 0-for-3 with a hit by pitch. Howell was a 12th-round draft pick of the parent Milwaukee Brewers in 2018 out of Kirkwood Community College.

Former Iowa Hawkeyes pitcher Brady Schanuel threw a hitless, scoreless relief inning for the Timber Rattlers. He walked a man and struck out one.

Wilton native Evan Reifert, a pitcher, also is on Wisconsin’s roster. He played college baseball at Central Missouri.

In roster updates, outfielder Trey Cabbage has been promoted to Double-A Wichita. It’s the first Double-A assignment for Cabbage, who played parts of four seasons with the Kernels.

Outfielder Max Smith has been assigned to Cedar Rapids from low-A Fort Myers, where he hit .107 with a home run and six RBIs in seven games. Smith was a 31st-round draft pick of the Twins in 2019 out of Nevada-Las Vegas.

Infielder Daniel Ozoria also is on the C.R. active roster. He has had stints in the early part of this season with Fort Myers and Triple-A Saint Paul.

Ozoria played part of the 2019 season with the Kernels. The active roster for Cedar Rapids is at 27 active players.

Injured outfielder Matt Wallner will visit a doctor Wednesday to have his injured hand/wrist checked out thoroughly. The first-round sandwich pick left Saturday night’s game with discomfort there and has not played since.

Comments: (319)-398-8258, jeff.johnson@thegazette.com

BOX SCORE - Wisconsin at Ce... by Jeff Johnson