Drafted in the 9th round (276th overall) by the Seattle Mariners in 2022 (signed for $275,000).
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Gough emerged as one of the top prep pitchers in the 2022 class at remote Heritage (Romoland, Calif.) High and transferred to national prep power JSerra (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) High this spring to raise his profile. He pitched limited innings early in the year and missed time with an injury, but he returned to record critical saves in the CIF semifinals and finals to help JSerra win its first section title. He then struck out all five batters he faced at the draft combine in San Diego to continue his late momentum. A 6-foot-2, 200-pound righthander, Gough has a fast arm and a solid feel for throwing strikes. His fastball sat 88-91 mph for most of the season but ticked up to 92-94 mph with high spin rates by the end of the year. He mostly dominates with his fastball but also has a full complement of secondaries. He has a low-70s curveball that gets swings and misses as well as a harder variation in the upper-70s. He also has a low-80s changeup he favors as he primary secondary pitch. Gough throws everything for strikes and has a chance to be a well-rounded starter. He is committed to Oregon State but could get drafted high enough to sign with his late performance.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
BA Grade/Risk: 45/Extreme
Track Record: Gough began his prep career at remote Heritage (Menifee, Calif.) High before transferring to high-profile JSerra (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) High. He missed most of his senior spring with biceps tendinitis, but he returned to record critical saves in the CIF semifinals and championship game. He struck out all five batters he faced at the draft combine to continue his late momentum and was drafted by the Mariners in the 12th round, signing for an above-slot $250,000 to forgo an Oregon State commitment.
Scouting Report: Gough is a cerebral, 6-foot-2 righthander whose stuff keeps ticking up. His high-spin fastball has progressed from 88-91 mph to 92-96 mph and gets swings and misses in the strike zone. He complements his fastball with a plus split-changeup in the low-80s that dives late to keep hitters off-balance. His upper-70s curveball is less refined, but it flashes above-average with downer action to give him a viable third pitch. Gough throws strikes with average and control and is fearless in attacking hitters. He is a disciplined, focused individual whose father served in the Air Force.
The Future: Gough has the ingredients to be a starter, but he has to prove he can maintain his improved stuff over longer stints. He'll try to do that in his pro debut in 2023.
School: JSerra Catholic HS, San Juan Capistrano, Calif. Committed/Drafted: Oregon State Age At Draft: 18.9 A 6-foot-2, 200-pound righthander, Gough has shown a fast arm with solid strike-throwing ability throughout his high school career. He pitches in the 88-91 mph range and gets up to 93-94 at peak. Gough has also thrown a low-70s breaking ball and a harder variation in the upper 70s, with a changeup around 80 mph to round out a four-pitch mix. Scouts think he could be quite a well-rounded pitcher, but many think he will be best served by heading to Oregon State instead of going directly to pro ball.
Scouting Reports
BA Grade/Risk: 45/Extreme
Track Record: Gough began his prep career at remote Heritage (Menifee, Calif.) High before transferring to high-profile JSerra (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) High. He missed most of his senior spring with biceps tendinitis, but he returned to record critical saves in the CIF semifinals and championship game. He struck out all five batters he faced at the draft combine to continue his late momentum and was drafted by the Mariners in the 12th round, signing for an above-slot $250,000 to forgo an Oregon State commitment.
Scouting Report: Gough is a cerebral, 6-foot-2 righthander whose stuff keeps ticking up. His high-spin fastball has progressed from 88-91 mph to 92-96 mph and gets swings and misses in the strike zone. He complements his fastball with a plus split-changeup in the low-80s that dives late to keep hitters off-balance. His upper-70s curveball is less refined, but it flashes above-average with downer action to give him a viable third pitch. Gough throws strikes with average and control and is fearless in attacking hitters. He is a disciplined, focused individual whose father served in the Air Force.
The Future: Gough has the ingredients to be a starter, but he has to prove he can maintain his improved stuff over longer stints. He'll try to do that in his pro debut in 2023.
Track Record: Gough began his prep career at remote Heritage (Menifee, Calif.) High before transferring to high-profile JSerra (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) High. He missed most of his senior spring with biceps tendinitis, but he returned to record critical saves in the CIF semifinals and championship game. He struck out all five batters he faced at the draft combine to continue his late momentum and was drafted by the Mariners in the 12th round, signing for an above-slot $250,000 to forgo an Oregon State commitment.
Scouting Report: Gough is a cerebral, 6-foot-2 righthander whose stuff keeps ticking up. His high-spin fastball has progressed from 88-91 mph to 92-96 mph and gets swings and misses in the strike zone. He complements his fastball with a plus split-changeup in the low-80s that dives late to keep hitters off-balance. His upper-70s curveball is less refined, but it flashes above-average with downer action to give him a viable third pitch. Gough throws strikes with average and control and is fearless in attacking hitters. He is a disciplined, focused individual whose father served in the Air Force.
The Future: Gough has the ingredients to be a starter, but he has to prove he can maintain his improved stuff over longer stints. He'll try to do that in his pro debut in 2023.