Gavin Williams Stats & Scouting Report College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects

Track Record: Williams has long had a big arm and big potential, but it took him a full four years of college to truly realize it. After primarily pitching out of the East Carolina bullpen for his first three seasons on campus, he took over a spot in the rotation in 2021 and produced an

BA Grade/Risk: 65/High

Track Record: Williams has long had a big arm and big potential, but it took him a full four years of college to truly realize it. After primarily pitching out of the East Carolina bullpen for his first three seasons on campus, he took over a spot in the rotation in 2021 and produced an All-America season, going 10-1, 1.88 with 130 strikeouts in 81.1 innings. That turned him into the 24th overall pick, marking the first time the Guardians used a first-round pick on a college pitcher since taking Drew Pomeranz in 2010. Williams reached Double-A a year and a day after his last college start and ultimately was one of the best pitchers in the Eastern League. He made the BA Minor League All-Star Team after leading the minor leagues with a .173 opponent average and ranked third with a 1.96 ERA.

Scouting Report: Williams stands out for his size and arm strength. His fastball sits around 95 mph, has touched 101 and can get swings and misses, especially up in the zone. He throws both a curveball and slider, with his 11-to-5 curveball being the better of the two, though the short slider is a solid pitch in its own right. He also has good feel for a firm changeup, though it's the least advanced of his offerings. Williams had control issues early in his college career and those can still crop up at times, but he should pitch with average command.

The Future: The Guardians couldn't have asked for anything more out of Williams in his professional debut. He showed all the characteristics of an above-average starter, and he has a tantalizing combination of upside and proximity to the big leagues. He'll start 2023 at Triple-A Columbus and could pitch his way to Cleveland by the summer.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 70. Curveball: 60. Slider: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 50

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