Gavin Scott Williams...Became the first college pitcher that Cleveland has drafted in the first round since 2010 (Drew Pomeranz)...Pitched in parts of four seasons for the East Carolina Pirates, going 11-5 with a 2.65 ERA across 53 Collegiate games/17 starts (149.1 IP, 108 H, 47 R/ER, 7 HR, 53 BB, 200 SO)...Went 10-1 in '21 with a 1.88 ERA (17 ER/81.1 IP) to earn placement on six different All-America teams in addition to being selected as a finalist for both the Dick Howser and Golden Spike Awards...Struck out 13 Vanderbilt Commodores in 7.1 IP in the 2021 Super Regional...Graduated from Cape Fear High School in Fayetteville, N.C. in 2017...Ranked 141st nationally in the final 2017 Perfect Game class rankings...While in town for the 2024 Guards Fest, he visited a Guardians RBI combined indoor winter practice where he got to know the kids, held a Q&A session and shared his experiences with the aspiring baseball and softball players. During the 2024 season he was active with the Guardians Nike RBI players all season, attending practices where he gave advice to the aspiring baseball and softball players. He also was involved with Cleveland Guardians Charities through the Giveathon and Significant Others Auction.
2024
Joined Cleveland's rotation for the second half following an elbow injury in Spring Training that delayed his 2024 debut...Logged 16 starts for the Guards after beginning the year on the IL (right elbow impingement)...Went 3-10 with a 4.86 ERA (3.59 FIP) in his second MLB season, fanning 9.36 batters per 9.0 IP (79 SO/76.0 IP) with a 1.37 WHIP...Made two starts in Cactus League play (4.2 IP, R/ER, 9 SO) before experiencing right elbow discomfort during weighted ball drills on 3/7...Began the season on Cleveland’s 15-day injured list (transferred to 60-day IL on 5/9)...Logged six rehab starts between AA Akron and AAA Columbus, recording 24 SO in 17.0 IP...Made his 2024 Cleveland debut 7/3 vs. CWS...Tossed a career-high 105 pitches in a quality start on 7/25 vs. DET, recording a season-high nine strikeouts...Was one of just three quality starts across his 16 assignments...Hurled a 100 mph first-inning fastball 8/4 vs. BAL, the fastest pitch of his career and the first time a Cleveland starter reached triple digits in the Statcast Era (2015)...Went 3-3 with a 3.56 ERA (17 ER/43.0 IP) in nine road games started, while going 0-7 with a 6.55 ERA (24 ER/33.0 IP) in seven home GS...Became the first pitcher in club history to shoulder the loss in seven-straight home starts...Received 18 total runs of support across his 16 games started in 2024, including no run support in six outings and two-or-fewer runs in 15 of 16 starts...His 2.13 run support average per 9.0IP was the lowest in MLB this season (min. 10GS)...Williams' 4.14 xERA was 0.71 lower than his actual ERA (4.86), the second-largest difference by a Clevelander in 2024 (Carlos Carrasco - 0.99; 5.64 ERA, 4.65 xERA)...Held the opposition to a .155 (11-for-71) AVG off his curveball, his most utilized offspeed offering (19.8%)...Was included on Cleveland's ALDS roster (did not appear)...Made his Postseason debut as the club's starter in ALCS G4 vs. NYY (ND, 2.1 IP, 3 R/ER, 4 SO), an 8-6 Guardians loss.
2023
After entering the season as Cleveland’s Consensus No. 2 prospect (Baseball America), Williams impressed in his rookie season, going 3-5 with a 3.29 ERA (30ER/82.0IP) in 16 starts for Cleveland…Following his promotion to the Major League level on June 21, he was second on the team in ERA (3.29), strikeouts (81) and opposing average (.219)...Made his Major League debut on June 21 against Oakland, allowing 4 runs (4ER) over 5.2 innings, a 7-6 Cleveland win…Allowed one hit over 7.0-shutout innings with six strikeouts and one walk in his second career start at Kansas City on June 27, a 2-1 victory…Became just the second pitcher in franchise history to throw 7.0+ innings with one or fewer hits allowed within their first two Major League games…The other was Addie Joss in 1902 (9.0IP, 1H). Despite an 0-2 record in six road starts, Williams recorded a 2.48 ERA (8ER/29.0IP) while handcuffing hitters to a .188 average...His .188 opposing batting average ranked seventh in the American League while his 2.48 ERA ranked eighth in the AL over the span...On Aug. 7, in a 3-1 loss against Toronto, he twirled 7.0-scoreless IP with 12 SO (7.0IP, 1H, 0R/ER, 1BB, 12SO), becoming the first player in CLE franchise history and just the 12th rookie pitcher in MLB history w/an outing of 12+SO and one or fewer hits allowed, last done by Jack Flaherty (13SO, 1H) on June 22, 2018 for St. Louis against Milwaukee…12 strikeouts were the most by a Cleveland rookie since Luis Tiant in 1964 vs. Kansas City(AL) and T6th-most by a rookie in a game in franchise history…The outing came amidst a six-start stretch (July 15-August 12) where the rookie did not allow three-or-more earned runs in an outing, posting a 1.80 ERA (6ER/30.0IP), sixth in MLB. Received four or more runs of support in just four of his 16 outings, while receiving two or fewer runs of support nine of his 16 starts, including five starts with zero runs of support. Opened up the season at AA Akron and was effective in his three starts…After posting a 0.63 ERA in three starts and notching an AL Pitcher of the Week award, he was promoted to AAA Columbus following his start on April 20, making nine starts to record a MiLB ERA of 2.39 in 2023…Over his Minor League career, he owns an 11.81 SO/9 and 3.SO/BB.
2022
Began his career at High-A Lake County, making a total of nine starts…Went 2-1 with a 1.40 ERA (7ER/45.0IP) with 67 strikeouts and 14 walks…Allowed two-plus earned runs in just one start on 4/15 vs. Dayton, his second pro start…Promoted to AA Akron following his outing on 6/3…Boasted a 2.31 ERA (18ER/70.0IP), second in the Eastern League behind his teammate Tanner Bibee (1.83), with 82 strikeouts and 26 walks…among Eastern League pitchers (min 70.0IP) he finished with the second-lowest opposing average (.176), second-lowest H/9 (5.66) and ninth-highest SO/9 (10.54).
