WICHITA — More than an hour before his home opener for the Wichita Wranglers on Tuesday night, Alex Gordon was as calm and easygoing as a player could be with such high expectations.
Ever since the Royals made Gordon the No. 2 overall pick in last year’s draft, he has become the prospect with unlimited potential — and he is not bothered by it.
“I actually like the expectations,” Gordon said. “It gives me that little bit more motivation to do well.”
Wranglers manager Frank White calls Gordon a legitimate first-round pick.
“The ball jumps off his bat,” White said. “He’s a shining light, that’s for sure.”
White is not known for throwing around compliments. But Gordon has that certain star quality that’s hard to define but is easily felt.
He admits the speed of the game in Class AA is faster than what he faced in college at Nebraska.
But that doesn’t mean Gordon is content to spend the whole season in the minors.
“I’ve set my goals high,” Gordon said. “I want to get to the big leagues this year. That’s where everybody wants to go. That’s why we are playing this game.”
There are going to be some good and bad days for Gordon at Wichita. That’s why he’s playing for the Wranglers. On Tuesday, he went zero for four and struck out in the bottom of the seventh with runners on first and second and two outs with the Wranglers clinging to a 4-3 lead.
Wichita ended up losing 7-4 when Leo Nunez gave up a two-run homer and a solo home run in the 10th inning. The Wranglers are off to a 0-5 start.
Gordon managed only a 10th-inning walk.
How did he handle the hitless night?
“You just forget about it,” Gordon said. “You come to the ballpark the next day and have the attitude that you went four for four last night. You can’t have your head down.”
Gordon already seems to understand the ups and downs and constant changes of professional baseball.
During infield practice, Gordon moved to first base to take grounders. He was scheduled to make his second start at first base.
“I played first in the fall,” Gordon said. “It hasn’t been a problem going back and forth. As long as I have a bat in my hand, I don’t care where I play.”
When the game started, Gordon was back at third base. None of this bothers him. That’s the way he is.
After spending more than 15 minutes before the game patiently answering questions ranging from expectations to comparisons to former Royals great George Brett, Gordon was still able to show a sense of humor.
When asked why Nebraska’s baseball has been so good considering it’s a northern school, Gordon said with a smile: “Nebraska football hasn’t been too good. The fans needed something to cheer for.”
Gordon entered Tuesday night’s game with a .350 average. But the Wranglers didn’t need Gordon’s bat while taking a 4-1 lead into the fourth inning because Gordon is not the only star player down in Wichita.
Billy Butler, a prospect who garnered a lot of attention last year, started a three-run second inning with a leadoff double.
Butler has a pretty good understanding of how to handle high expectations.
“You can’t worry about it. You’ve just got to go out and do your job,” Butler said. “I guess when you do something wrong it shows up more on you than somebody else, but you get more credit if you do something right.
“All in all, you’ve just got to worry about the game and nothing else.”
Other first-round draft choices with Gordon and Butler on the Wranglers are outfielders Chris Lubanski and Mitch Maier.
For the first time in a while, the Royals have some top-notch prospects in Class AA, and Gordon has become the centerpiece.
“Hopefully, we can all move up together and develop that chemistry here and start winning here,” Gordon said.
The thing about Gordon, White said, is the way he carries himself regardless of whether he’s having a good game or not.
“If he hits a home run he walks the same way. If he strikes out he walks the same way,” White said.
“He’s a guy who is still learning. But the talent is definitely there. He’s got this inner burn.”
The only danger is rushing him to Kansas City, because all of Gordon’s talents makes that so tempting.
“It takes a lot of patience to hold a guy like him,” White said.
Royals assistant general manager Muzzy Jackson, who was in Wichita charting pitcher Mark Redman, said it’s early, but he likes Gordon’s approach to hitting.
“He goes to the plate with an idea,” Jackson said. “He can hit the ball the other way and drive it. The big thing is can he have a consistent approach?”
It’s what Gordon is planning on doing this summer.
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when it comes to their football. 
