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Gavin Williams (baseball)

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Gavin Williams
Williams with the Cleveland Guardians in 2024
Cleveland Guardians – No. 32
Pitcher
Born: (1999-07-26) July 26, 1999 (age 25)
Fayetteville, North Carolina, U.S.
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
MLB debut
June 21, 2023, for the Cleveland Guardians
MLB statistics
(through 2024 season)
Win–loss record6–15
Earned run average4.04
Strikeouts160
Teams

Gavin Scott Williams (born July 26, 1999) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Cleveland Guardians of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2023.

Amateur career

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Williams attended Cape Fear High School in Fayetteville, North Carolina. As a senior in 2017, he threw two consecutive no-hitters after returning to play after undergoing surgery on a torn meniscus.[1][2] He ended his senior year 6–1 with a 0.35 ERA over 39 innings.[3] He was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 30th round of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft, but did not sign, instead enrolling at East Carolina University.[4][5]

In 2018, as a freshman at East Carolina, Williams missed time due to a forearm strain but still compiled a 1.15 ERA over 15+2⁄3 innings.[6] After the 2018 season, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[7] As a sophomore in 2019, he appeared in 21 games (five starts), going 1–4 with a 4.56 ERA over 49+1⁄3 innings.[8][9] In 2020, he pitched three innings before the college baseball season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was considered a top prospect for the 2020 Major League Baseball draft, but went unselected.[10][11] Williams moved into the starting rotation for the 2021 season.[12] He missed the beginning of the year with a minor injury but still appeared in 15 games (making 12 starts), going 10–1 with a 1.88 ERA with 130 strikeouts over 81+1⁄3 innings.[13][14] He was named the American Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year alongside earning 2021 College Baseball All-America Team honors.[15][16][17][18]

Professional career

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The Cleveland Indians selected Williams in the first round, with the 23rd overall selection, of the 2021 Major League Baseball draft.[19] He signed for $2.25 million.[20]

Williams was assigned to the Lake County Captains of the High-A Midwest League to make his professional debut and begin the 2022 season.[21] After nine starts in which he went 2-1 with a 1.40 ERA and 67 strikeouts over 45 innings, he was promoted to the Akron RubberDucks of the Double-A Eastern League.[22] Over 16 starts with Akron, he posted a 3-3 record with a 2.31 ERA and 82 strikeouts over seventy innings.[23] He returned to Akron to open the 2023 season.[24] After three starts, he was promoted to the Columbus Clippers of the Triple-A International League.[25] Williams logged a 3–2 record and 2.93 ERA with 61 strikeouts across 9 starts for Columbus.

On June 20, 2023, the Guardians announced that Williams would be promoted to the major leagues for the first time to start the following day against the Oakland Athletics.[26] In 16 starts during his rookie campaign, he recorded a 3–5 record and 3.29 ERA with 81 strikeouts across 82 innings pitched.

Williams began the 2024 season on the injured list with right elbow inflammation.[27] He was transferred to the 60–day injured list on May 9, 2024.[28] Williams was activated from the injured list on June 30.[29]

References

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  1. ^ Shambaugh, Jaclyn. "Cape Fear senior Gavin Williams turns in hitless start in win over Pine Forest".
  2. ^ "N.C. pitcher Gavin Williams hasn't given up a hit in three starts". May 4, 2017.
  3. ^ Jones, Sonny. "Called Third Strike: Gavin Williams sharp in first collegiate start". The Fayetteville Observer.
  4. ^ "ECU signee Gavin Williams taken in 30th round of MLB Draft". HoistTheColours.
  5. ^ Obley, Patrick. "Rays take Cape Fear pitcher Williams in 30th round". The Fayetteville Observer.
  6. ^ "Gavin Williams ranked one of 2021 MLB Draft's best prospects". HoistTheColours.
  7. ^ "Gavin Williams". pointstreak.com. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  8. ^ "ECU's Gavin Williams a first-round pick in latest MLB mock draft". HoistTheColours.
  9. ^ Batten, Sammy. "Ex-Cape Fear pitcher Gavin Williams to head ECU rotation in 2020". The Fayetteville Observer.
  10. ^ Batten, Sammy. "Cape Fear, ECU pitcher Gavin Williams on brink of local draft history". The Fayetteville Observer.
  11. ^ "ECU flamethrower Gavin Williams goes undrafted, will return". HoistTheColours.
  12. ^ "Gavin Williams thriving as a starter". Baseball Prospect Journal. May 24, 2021.
  13. ^ "A Durable Gavin Williams Could Propel East Carolina To New Heights – FloBaseball". www.flobaseball.tv.
  14. ^ "MLB Draft Profile: Gavin Williams". Prime Time Sports Talk. June 12, 2021.
  15. ^ Holland, Monica. "ECU brings Gavin Williams and his 100 mph fastball to Greenville Regional". The Fayetteville Observer.
  16. ^ Athletics, E. C. U. (May 24, 2021). "Godwin, Norby and Williams earn AAC honors". www.witn.com.
  17. ^ Athletics, E. C. U. (June 17, 2021). "ECU baseball trio earns national honors". www.witn.com.
  18. ^ Healy, Teddy Cahill, Joe (June 17, 2021). "2021 College Baseball All-Americans: First, Second, Third Teams". www.baseballamerica.com.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  19. ^ "Cleveland Indians draft RHP Gavin Williams with their first pick in MLB Draft 2021". cleveland. July 12, 2021.
  20. ^ Noga, Joe (July 23, 2021). "Top draft picks Gavin Williams, Doug Nikhazy sign deals and 4 other things about the Cleveland Indians". cleveland.
  21. ^ "Captains Announce 2022 Roster: Six Top 30 Prospects to Guide Captains into 2022 Season".
  22. ^ "Guardians' Gavin Williams: Promoted to Double-A". June 6, 2022.
  23. ^ "Gavin Williams Stats, Fantasy & News".
  24. ^ "Where Guardians' Top 30 prospects are starting season". MLB.com.
  25. ^ "Gavin Williams has strong debut in Triple-A | Guardians minors roundup for April 30". May 2023.
  26. ^ "Guardians' Gavin Williams set for debut; Triston McKenzie shut down". ESPN.com. June 20, 2023. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  27. ^ "Guardians spring training camp rocked by bad news for pitchers". Cleveland Plain-Dealer. March 14, 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  28. ^ "Guardians put Gavin Williams on 60-day IL, trade for Marlins pitcher Darren McCaughan". Akron Beacon Journal. May 9, 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  29. ^ "Guardians send struggling pitcher Triston McKenzie to minors". ESPN.com. Associated Press. June 30, 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
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