Duce Gourson Stats & Scouting Report

AB	138
AVG	.261
OBP	.368
SLG	.449
HR	5

Full name Ethan Royal Gourson
Born 09/20/2002 in San Diego, CA
Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 190 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School UCLA
Drafted in the 9th round (264th overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2024 (signed for $187,500).

View Draft Report

School: UCLA
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age at Draft: 21.8

Gourson’s first name is Ethan, but he goes by Duce. A 6-foot, 200-pound infielder, Gourson stands out for his offensive approach and on-base skills. He has gotten on base at a clip greater than 43% in each of his first two seasons with UCLA, and in 2023 he went from four home runs to 10. Gourson doesn’t have a clear carrying tool and he might be more of a fringy defender in the infield, but his lefthanded bat and on-base ability should provide value.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade/Risk: 45/Average

Adjusted Grade: 35

Track Record: Ethan “Duce” Gourson was a three-year starter at second base for UCLA and played for USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team in 2023. The Pirates signed him for $187,500 as a ninth-round pick in 2024, and after a quiet debut, he broke through in 2025 by hitting .275/.370/.439 with 10 homers and 31 steals between High-A Greensboro and Double-A Altoona.

Scouting Report: At just 5-foot-11, 203 pounds, Gourson burnished a reputation in college as a heady, skills-over-tools type who was content to slash baseballs to the opposite field. But he made meaningful offseason adjustments prior to 2025, adding bat speed while refining his swing and approach to generate more impact without sacrificing contact. He pairs strong swing decisions and strike-zone control with above-average exit velocities and a better understanding of how to optimize his contact quality from gap to gap. His short, direct stroke allows him to handle velocity, and he made noticeable gains in damaging offspeed pitches in 2025. Gourson’s baseball IQ shows up on the bases and helps his average speed play up. In the field, he’s a solid defender at second base who gained experience at third and first base and has an above-average arm.

The Future: Gourson’s a detail-oriented player who knows how to maximize his tools. He put himself on the map in 2025 and has the ceiling of a reliable big league utility infielder.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 45 | Run: 50 | Field: 50 | Arm: 55

Draft Prospects

School: UCLA Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.8
Gourson’s first name is Ethan, but he goes by Duce. A 6-foot, 200-pound infielder, Gourson stands out for his offensive approach and on-base skills. He’s a career .300/.435/.482 hitter over three seasons with UCLA and boasts a strong 14.8% walk rate for his career. While he takes his walks when he gets them, he also has a tendency to swing and miss, particularly against secondaries, and owns a 21.9% career strikeout rate. Gourson’s power is just fringy and he’s never hit more than 10 home runs in a season without much physical projection to bank on more coming in the future, which means he’ll need to continue drawing walks and hitting balls into the gaps for doubles. He’s an average runner who is a fringy or adequate defender at second base. Without any carrying tools, Gourson’s value will be driven by his bat and on-base ability in pro ball.

Career Transactions

Altoona Curve activated SS Duce Gourson.
SS Duce Gourson assigned to Altoona Curve from Greensboro Grasshoppers.
Greensboro Grasshoppers activated SS Duce Gourson from the 7-day injured list.
Greensboro Grasshoppers placed SS Duce Gourson on the 7-day injured list.
SS Duce Gourson assigned to Greensboro Grasshoppers from Bradenton Marauders.
SS Duce Gourson assigned to Bradenton Marauders.
Pittsburgh Pirates signed SS Duce Gourson.

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