Jon Gray
A hard-throwing right-hander whose fastball and slider made him a first-round draft pick and a mainstay in Major League rotations.
Born 1991 (age 35)·American baseball player·Birthday: November 5·Millennials
Biography
Jon Gray's power arm was his ticket from small-town Oklahoma to the big leagues. Dominating at the University of Oklahoma, where he could regularly hit triple digits on the radar gun, he became the third overall pick in the 2013 MLB Draft by the Colorado Rockies. His career was defined by adapting his pure stuff to the game's most challenging environment for pitchers: Coors Field. In Denver, Gray learned to master his devastating slider and fastball combination, often serving as the Rockies' opening day starter and providing crucial innings. While the altitude could inflate statistics, his competitiveness never wavered. A mid-career move to the Texas Rangers offered a new context for his talents, where he continued to be a reliable and intimidating presence on the mound, valued for his durability and strikeout ability.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Jon was born in 1991, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jon Was Born
The biggest hits of 1991
#1 Movie
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Best Picture
The Silence of the Lambs
#1 TV Show
Cheers
Jon's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1991Born
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1996Started school
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2004Became a teenager
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2007Could drive
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2009Could vote
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2012Turned 21
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2021Turned 30
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 35 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Was the third overall selection by the Colorado Rockies in the 2013 MLB Draft.
- Started Opening Day for the Colorado Rockies in three consecutive seasons (2017, 2018, 2019).
- Pitched a complete-game one-hitter against the San Francisco Giants in September 2016.
- Recorded over 200 strikeouts in a single season with the Rockies in 2017.
Did You Know?
In college at Oklahoma, he was a teammate of fellow future MLB pitcher Jonathan Gray (no relation).
He is an avid outdoorsman and enjoys hunting and fishing in the offseason.
Gray was originally drafted by the Kansas City Royals out of high school but chose to attend college instead.
He is known for his intense, focused demeanor on the pitching mound.
“I just want to be the guy they can count on every fifth day.”
