Highland’s roster generously lists Ryan Gordon as 5 feet, 6 inches tall.
But the senior catcher casts a long shadow.
“He’s the smallest guy on the team but the most important,” Highland coach Zak Pizer said.
Gordon is in his third season starting behind the plate for the Trojans. He has played virtually every inning during that span. Especially on a relatively inexperienced team in its first season under Pizer, a 2018 Highland graduate and former assistant who took over after John Bogner left for Chesterton, Gordon is the standard-bearer.
There are other leaders too. But Gordon, who committed to Lake Michigan College earlier this month, is Highland’s lone captain.
“It’s just him,” Pizer said. “I thought I would have four captains. They’re all dedicated. But he’s first one in, last one out.
“Gordo’s our guy. If we didn’t have Gordo, I don’t know where we’d be. He’s a veteran. He’s a coach on the field. If he wasn’t going to play in Michigan, I’d want him on my staff next year. He’s what we look for. With these guys, I point at him and say, ‘That’s your guy. That’s your captain.’”
Senior pitcher Kyle Stacy also holds Gordon in extremely high regard.
“He’s a terrific leader,” Stacy said. “He’s been a guy who for so, so many years has been part of my journey through baseball. From when we were 5, 6 years old, we’ve been playing together. All through high school, he’s been my battery mate. He’s just an absolute guy. I love to be around him. He really does lead this team. He is our glue guy.”
Ryan Gordon is in his third season as Highland’s starting catcher and is its only captain. (Michael Osipoff / Post-Tribune)
Gordon understands his role.
“Just help the guys,” he said. “If they’re in trouble, help them out. Just do whatever I can to help our team win as best as possible.”
Gordon has earned Pizer’s trust defensively too.
“He calls his own game, which is very rare for catchers in today’s game,” Pizer said.
Gordon has broken out offensively this season. He was batting .407 through Thursday to lead the Trojans (3-7). He hit .258 last season and .302 as a sophomore.
“I’ve changed my approach a little bit,” he said. “Last year, I was taking pitches right down the middle on my first pitch. This year, I’ve been more aggressive going for pitches early in the count.”
Gordon appreciates the progress he has made since earlier in his career.
“I definitely matured a ton jumping up from my freshman year to my sophomore year,” he said. “It was different. I was a little bit lackadaisical my freshman year. I locked in more my sophomore year.”
Gordon also played football for the Trojans as a defensive back and wide receiver. He had 11 tackles last season.
“My playing time increased more and more,” he said.
Unlike during other seasons, Gordon continued to take batting practice during football.
“I was hitting all year, and that helped me too,” he said.
Highland’s Ryan Gordon bats against Hanover Central during a Northwest Crossroads Conference game in Highland on Monday, April 15, 2024. (Vincent D. Johnson / Post-Tribune)
Gordon is planning to study sports management or computer science at Lake Michigan. He said he’s happy to have made his college decision.
“It’s a little bit of pressure off of your shoulders,” he said. “But at the same time, it’s a little bit more pressure because you still want to perform and get better for the upcoming years in college.”
Pizer expressed confidence that Gordon would succeed no matter what path he chose.
“We’re very proud of him,” Pizer said. “He got his name out there. We tried helping him, but he really did it on his own. We were always there in his corner, but we’re very proud of him.”
