Cleveland Baseball Insider

Williams Dominates In 2023 Debut For Double-A Akron

Guardians RHP prospect Gavin Williams induced 19 swing and misses in just four and a third innings in season debut

Todd Paquette

Akron RubberDucks
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Cleveland Guardians 23-year-old RHP prospect Gavin Williams had one of the more impressive pro-debuts of anybody in minor league baseball during the 2022 season. On Thursday the 2021 first round pick out of East Carolina made his 2023 debut for Double-A Akron as their Opening Day starter at home against Erie.

Williams enters the season with lofty expectations as one of the top arms in all the minor league baseball not just with the Guardians. He has everyone asking what will he do for an encore in his second season as a professional and how soon will he make it to Cleveland?

The answer is dominate and very soon if he pitches like he did last night. Williams threw four and a third scoreless innings before reaching his pitch limit allowing just two hits and a walk while striking out nine on the evening.

He had Erie batters baffled overpowering Erie them all night as he induced 19 swings and misses throwing 51 strikes out of his 76 pitches. Both base hits came on weak contact against him during his final inning of work.

Dating back to last season Williams has now made 17 starts at the Double-A level and has put up some pretty incredible numbers. In the 17 starts he has a 2.18 ERA with 91 strikeouts over his 74.1 innings while allowing just 46 hits limiting batters to a .173 average against him.

If you're a Akron RubberDucks fan and want to get a look at Williams, I would highly suggest you, do it early in the season because he should make the move to Columbus sooner rather than later.

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Read More:

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James Karinchak And The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Opening Week

WATCH: Gabriel Arias Blasts His First Home Run Of The Season

Freeman Starts 2023 On Fire For Columbus

Zach Plesac Can't Escape Second Inning Season Debut Against Athletics

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Todd Paquette
TODD PAQUETTE

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