According to MSM Sports agency, the Pittsburgh Pirates signed lefty Greg Williams to a minor league contract. An initial look at his stats doesn’t give much of an impression, but Williams could be diamond in the rough.
The 26-year-old (turns 27 on December 30th) stands 6’5″, 205 pounds and was a 12th round selection out of Marshall in 2011 by the Texas Rangers. They gave him a $125,000 bonus to sign, which would be considered an over-slot bonus now for that round. Out of high school in 2008, he was drafted in the 31st round by Tampa Bay. He was hitting 91 MPH at the time and showing a very strong changeup, but felt it was better to go to college. His draft report in 2011 had him as a pitcher with some control issues and not many innings, who showed strong velocity. Williams suffered rotator cuff tendinitis, which cost him the 2010 season and his control issues were worse after the injury.
After signing, Williams threw a total of 61.1 innings in his first two seasons as a pro, finishing the 2012 season in High-A. His rotator cuff injury in college was his only injury up to that point, going back to when he was a kid, but things fell apart after his second pro season.
He had Tommy John surgery shortly after the 2012 season ended and missed the entire 2013 season. He returned briefly in 2014, then needed a second Tommy John surgery, which caused him to miss all of 2015. The Rangers released him at the end of Spring Training this year and he caught on with the Cincinnati Reds shortly after the season started. Williams pitched nine games before going on the disabled list. One day after going on the DL, he was released.
According to scouting reports, has topped out at 97 MPH in the past. His agency reports that Williams is finally 100% healthy and he was sitting 95-96 MPH during a workout at the end of October, which likely drew the interest of the Pirates.
This is obviously just a lottery ticket player, where you might get lucky and find a big arm cheap. Or he might amount to nothing and all it cost you was a minor league contract. He was considered at one time to be a pitcher worthy of a six-figure bonus and he’s clearly dedicated to the sport. Williams has pitched just 76 innings since 2011, though with so much time spent rehabbing from injuries, you can assume he’s probably put it twice as many innings in the backfields in Arizona.
