Cleveland Baseball Insider

Guardians To Promote Top Prospect Williams For His MLB Debut

Cleveland Guardians RHP prospect Gavin Williams will make his MLB Debut Wednesday against Oakland

Todd Paquette

Columbus Clippers
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The Cleveland Guardians are promoting top pitching prospect 23-year-old RHP Gavin Williams Wednesday to make his MLB debut vs the Oakland A's.

Williams was the Guardians 2021 First Round Pick out of East Carolina started the 2022 season with Double-A Akron.

At Akron Williams just made three starts this season posting a 0.63 ERA over 14.1 innings pitched allowing just one run while striking out 20 batters. He was then promoted to Triple-A Columbus on April 27th.

Williams has made nine starts at Triple-A Columbus striking out 61 batters over 46.0 innings while posting a 2.93 ERA. William's fastball command hasn't been as sharp as it was at the Double-A level which has led to more walks which has gotten him into trouble at times. He has still however looked just as dominate at times.

Overall, on the 2023 season he has made 12 starts between Akron and Columbus posting a 2.39 ERA while striking out a farm leading 81 batters in 60.1 innings pitched. Opposing batters are only hitting .170 against him as he has allowed just 35 hits on the season leading to a 0.98 WHIP. He is averaging 12.08 strikeouts per nine innings pitched and striking out batters at a 34.3% rate of the at bats against him.

Scouting Report

Williams is a big young man with an electric arm that can touch triple digits. He has topped out at 101.1 mph with Triple-A Columbus this season. His fastball sits between 95-98 mph and can maintain that velocity for several innings. He has three other offerings besides his fastball including a curveball, which sits in the upper 70s with outstanding metrics. He also has a slider that shows potential of becoming a plus pitch that he throws in the mid-80s. Williams also throws a mid-80s changeup with fade.

Gavin becomes the third top starting pitching prospects that have debuted for the Guardians this season joining Tanner Bibee and Logan Allen. Stuff wise Williams might be the best of the three. He might be the most hyped pitching prospect to make his debut for Cleveland since C.C. Sabathia made his pro-debut back in 2021. Hopefully he can find just as make success at the MLB level as Sabathia was able to.

Wednesday will definitely be must see television as Williams looks to dominate the A's like he has dominated the minor leagues. 

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Todd Paquette
TODD PAQUETTE

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