Gavin Williams (baseball)

Gavin Williams
Williams with the Cleveland Guardians in 2024
Cleveland Guardians – No. 32
Pitcher
Born: (1999-07-26) July 26, 1999
Fayetteville, North Carolina, U.S.
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
MLB debut
June 21, 2023, for the Cleveland Guardians
MLB statistics
(through 2025 season)
Win–loss record18–20
Earned run average3.54
Strikeouts333
Stats at Baseball Reference 
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

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 with a 6–1 win-loss record and a 0.35 earned run average (ERA) over 39 innings pitched.[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 for the East Carolina Pirates, 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

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 a $2.25 million signing bonus.[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 nine 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] He made his MLB debut the next day at Progressive Field versus the Athletics, allowing four runs on four hits and three walks along with four strikeouts across 5+2⁄3 innings in a 7-6 Guardians victory.[27] He spent the remainder of the season with the Guardians. Across 16 starts during his rookie campaign, Williams recorded a 3–5 record and 3.29 ERA with 81 strikeouts across 82 innings pitched.[28]

Williams began the 2024 season on Cleveland's injured list with right elbow inflammation.[29] He was transferred to the 60–day injured list on May 9, 2024.[30] He was activated from the injured list on June 30.[31] Upon his return, Williams made 16 starts for the Guardians and went 3-10 with a 4.86 ERA and 79 strikeouts across 76 innings.[32]

Williams returned to Cleveland's starting rotation for the 2025 season.[33] On July 1, 2025, he recorded an unusual inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, retiring three baserunners via “non-plate appearance outs” in one inning; one at home plate and two on pickoffs at first base—marking the first such occurrence for Cleveland since at least 1920, and the first in MLB since April 13, 1985.[34] On August 6, 2025, Williams came two outs short of throwing a no-hitter against the New York Mets. After striking out former Cleveland Indian Francisco Lindor to open the ninth inning, Juan Soto hit a home run to end the no-hit bid. Williams was removed after inducing a fly ball and a walk. This would have been the first Cleveland no-hitter since Len Barker's perfect game against the Toronto Blue Jays in 1981, and would have given the Blue Jays the longest no-hit drought. [35]

Williams ended the 2025 regular season having started 31 games for Cleveland and pitched to a 12-5 record, a 3.06 ERA, and 173 strikeouts over 167+2⁄3 innings.[36] He made his postseason debut as Cleveland's starting pitcher in Game 1 of the 2025 American League Wild Card Series versus the Detroit Tigers.[37] He gave up two unearned runs and struck out eight batters over six innings and was the game's losing pitcher as Detroit won 2-1.[38]

References

  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. March 12, 2021.
  14. ^ Lepore, John (June 12, 2021). "MLB Draft Profile: Gavin Williams". Prime Time Sports Talk.
  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. ^ Cahill, Teddy (June 17, 2021). "2021 College Baseball All-Americans: First, Second, Third Teams". www.baseballamerica.com.
  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. ^ "'It's unbelievable': Williams shows resolve in debut". MLB.com. Retrieved March 18, 2026.
  28. ^ Meisel, Zack (September 5, 2025). "Fun-loving Gavin Williams bids to be Guardians' next great ace: 'What I want to be'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 18, 2026.
  29. ^ "Guardians spring training camp rocked by bad news for pitchers". Cleveland Plain-Dealer. March 14, 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  30. ^ "Guardians put Gavin Williams on 60-day IL, trade for Marlins pitcher Darren McCaughan". Akron Beacon Journal. May 9, 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  31. ^ "Guardians send struggling pitcher Triston McKenzie to minors". ESPN.com. Associated Press. June 30, 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  32. ^ "Midseason adjustment paying dividends for Guardians starter Gavin Williams". News-Herald. June 28, 2025. Retrieved March 18, 2026.
  33. ^ "Guardians announce pitching rotation to start season". WKBN.com. March 23, 2025. Archived from the original on April 7, 2025. Retrieved March 18, 2026.
  34. ^ Hoynes, Paul (July 2, 2025). "Guardians' Gavin Williams records three straight outs without retiring a batter". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved December 25, 2025.
  35. ^ Ladson, Bill (August 6, 2025). "Gavin Williams no-hitter attempt ends on Juan Soto home run". MLB.com. Retrieved November 9, 2025.
  36. ^ Stebbins, Tim. "After breakthrough '25, Williams 'wants to be one of the best'". MLB.com. Retrieved March 18, 2026.
  37. ^ Stebbins, Tim. "After breakout campaign, Williams surprised to get Game 1 nod vs. Tigers". MLB.com. Retrieved March 18, 2026.
  38. ^ "Guardians' Gavin Williams: Tough-luck loss in Game 1". CBS Sports. September 30, 2025. Retrieved March 18, 2026.
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