Garrett

Williams

Williams recorded a pedestrian 5.73 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and 101/46 K/BB ratio across 77 innings (28 appearances, 15 starts) last year between Double-A Springfield and Triple-A Memphis in the Cardinals’ system. The 28-year-old lefty gives Oakland some additional minor league pitching depth heading into next season.

St. Louis passed on a selection in the major league phase of the Rule 5 Draft, but went with Williams here. The 26-year-old left-hander had a 3.60 ERA and 108 strikeouts in 110 innings at the Double-A level in 2019. He was the player to be named later in the Zack Cozart salary-dump trade to the Giants last winter.

The two sides just needed to make sure he wasn’t picked in the Rule 5 draft. Williams, a 2016 seventh-round pick, went 7-8 with a 3.60 ERA and a 108/61 K/BB ratio in 110 innings for Double-A Richmond last season. He has some potential as a reliever if he can throw more strikes.

Williams did walk four, but he struck out six and kept any of the Binghamton hitters from crossing the plate on Sunday. The 24-year-old owns a 4.01 ERA in the Eastern League, and he’s struck out 59 hitters over 60 innings. A former standout for Oklahoma State, Williams shows two plus pitches in his fastball and curve, but he struggles to locate them (34 walks in 14 starts), and he still doesn’t have a third pitch yet; or at least a good one as the change is mostly below-average. If it and his command can become average he has a chance to pitch in the rotation, but if not, he’ll likely be relegated to the bullpen.