Gavin Williams Chosen 23rd Overall by the Cleveland Indians

With the 23rd pick in the first round, the Cleveland Indians snapped up East Carolina right-handed pitcher Gavin Williams in Sunday night’s 2021 Major League Draft.

In twelve starts this past season Williams had a 1.88 ERA with 130 strikeouts against just 21 walks for 14.4 strikeouts and 2.3 walks per nine innings.

He gave up 57 hits and 17 earned runs this past season for the Pirates in just over 81 innings of work.

Williams is the fourth pick all-time from ECU by the Indians following Vince Colbert (1968/11th round), Trey Benton (2019/15th round), Shawn Armstrong (2011/18th round) and Tim Langdon (1990/39th round) selections.

Over the course of his college career, Williams averaged 12.1 strikeouts per nine innings and 3.2 walks.

Williams is one of just four players in ECU history to earn inclusion on six All-America teams. He is ECU’s first consensus first team All-America selection (America Baseball Coaches Association, Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball, D1Baseball, National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and Perfect Game)

He is one of two Pirates to be named a semifinalist for the Dick Howser and Golden Spikes Award in the same season (other: Connor Norby in 2021).

He is an ABCA First-Team All-East Region and was named the American Athletic Conference Pitcher-of-the-Year and a unanimous first-team selection

Williams’ best pitch is his fastball which is in the mid to upper 90’s and has reached triple digits at times.

He also utilizes a curveball in the upper 70’s, a mid-80s slider and better than average changeup. He’s became more consistent the curveball later in the year and a slider that continues to improve.

Williams went 10-1 this past season for an ECU team that made it to the Super Regionals in Nashville where they ultimately fell to Vanderbilt.