Cornhusker Gordon born to be a Royal

Alex Gordon, OF, Royals
Hometown: Lincoln, Neb.

As someone who grew up roughly three hours from Kauffman Stadium, Gordon's Royals roots began with fandom. Gordon recalled the trips to Kansas City with his mother and three brothers: Eric, Derek and Brett. 

"We grew up coming to vacation at Worlds of Fun, and always catching a ballgame at the same time," Gordon said. "Obviously, our favorite ballplayer was George Brett, watching him from the stands and everything."

To underscore the family's devotion, Alex's brother, Brett, was named after the Royals great.

Alex played his high school baseball at Lincoln Southeast High School, then stuck around the capital city for his college days, attending the University of Nebraska. After three spectacular years with the Cornhuskers, the Royals made him the second overall pick in the 2005 First-Year Player Draft.