ECU pitcher Gavin Williams drafted No. 23 by Cleveland

GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN/ECU) - The Cleveland Indians selected ECU right-handed pitcher Gavin Williams with No. 23 overall pick in the MLB Draft Sunday night.

Complete MLB Draft History: https://ecupirates.com/sports/2016/7/7/sports-m-basebl-spec-rel-mlb-draft-history-html.aspx

Gavin Williams became the second highest draft pick in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft when he was selected No. 23 overall in the first round by the Cleveland Indians Sunday night. With his pick, he becomes just the third player in program history to be taken in the first round and is the 16th selection under head coach Cliff Godwin.

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.

The 2021 MLB Draft, which will be broadcasted on MLB.com, continues Monday, July 12 at 1 p.m. (Rounds 2-10) and will conclude Tuesday, July 13 at 12 noon (Rounds 11-20).

Gavin Williams – 2021 Biographical Sketch

Listed as the No. 30 prospect in the 2021 MLB First-Year Player Draft by Baseball America and No. 31 by MLB … One of four players in school history to earn inclusion on six All-America teams … ECU’s first consensus All-America selection (America Baseball Coaches Association/ABCA, Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball, D1Baseball, National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association/NCBWA and Perfect Game – all first-team) … 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) … ABCA First-Team All-East Region … American Athletic Conference Pitcher-of-the-Year and a unanimous first-team selection … Posted a 10-1 record in 15 appearances (12 starts) … Led the league and team in ERA (1.88), hits allowed per 9 innings (6.31), Ks per 9 innings (14.39), strikeouts (130), wins and WHIP (0.96) … Became the 13th hurler in program history to claim the pitching triple crown … Also won the AAC triple crown … Allowed just 18 runs (17 earned) on 57 hits in 81.1 innings … Closed out season standing second on ECU’s single-season strikeout list … Fanned 10 or more batters in a game six times (Elon/11, Cincinnati/13, UCF/10, USF/11, Memphis/10, Vanderbilt/13) … Tied career-high with 13 punch outs in the Nashville Super Regional opening game where he tossed a career-best 7.1 innings … Went unbeaten during league play posting a 7-0 ledger where he struck out 69 batters and walked just nine … Surrendered just eight runs (all earned) on 29 hits in 41.1 innings and sported a league-best 1.74 ERA … Led The American in four pitching categories (ERA, opposing BA/.193, strikeouts and wins) … Two-time AAC Pitcher-of-the-Week (March 29, April 5) and a one-time AAC Honor Roll member (May 3) … Registered seven quality starts (6.0 IP and 3 earned runs or less) in 12 starts … Tallied double-digit strike outs in consecutive games twice (March 26-April 2, May 20-May 28) … Named 2021 Pitching Jungle MVP … From March 26 to May 28, won nine consecutive starts … Tossed first complete game shutout against Memphis (May 28) in a 12-0 seven inning game at the AAC Championship … Combined on three additional shutouts (Elon, Cincinnati, Wichita State) during the regular season … Notched second career save against Charlotte (March 12) allowing two runs in 3.2 innings with five punch outs … On the single-season charts he is tied for fourth in winning percentage (.909) and tied for 11th in wins (10) … Worked six or more innings in a game nine times … Allowed one or less run and one or fewer earned runs on nine occasions … Struck out seven or more batters in all 12 starts to close out his junior campaign … Pirates outscored their opponents 122 to 31 in his 15 appearances … Stood among the NCAA leaders (top 30) in six pitching stat columns including strikeouts per 9 innings (fifth/14.39), ERA (11th), strikeouts (11th), wins (11th), WHIP (23rd/0.96) and strikeout to walk ratio (30th/6.19).

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