Grading the Pick: Nate Williams brings power arm potential to Cubs |
Dustin Riese
· · 2 hours ago
If anything, the Cubs are certainly going to put their pitching lab to use this offseason, as they have a plethora of arms they need to look at. Unlike most cases where these arms are free agent signings, it's the rookies who need the most work, as they won't have much time left to showcase their skills this season.
The Cubs knew that going into the draft, and still elected to focus heavily on arms, as pitching depth is crucial to any team's success. You have seen that firsthand with the Cubs this season, who have had three to four of their regular starters most of the season, but haven't had much behind them in the minors that could come in and fill the gap. That is why not only drafting quality arms is essential, but also drafting for quantity, as the Cubs continued to dive in the pitching ranks in round 13, taking Nate Williams with pick No. 391. Another senior from the SEC, Williams, not only has the experience you love to see, but coming from Mississippi State, you know he knows what it takes to beat good competition. Another relief-only arm, Williams has the size and stuff to be a late-inning arm at the next level, which is something the Cubs did a great job targeting in this year's draft. Another physically intimidating 6-3 and 230-pound righty, the Cubs, at the very least, have constructed one of the more fearsome draft classes when it comes to pitchers, as hitters are going to have their work cut out for them. When you dive into his numbers, you get a guy who has been very successful at both the summer circuit and in the junior college ranks, but did take his bumps in the SEC this season. That is to be expected from time to time, but in 19 games for the Bulldogs this season, Williams had his moments as he posted a 4.23 ERA in just under 30 innings. That is a small sample size, but when you look at the overall landscape of the sample size, you will just how impressive he was at times. For starters, his 11 walks to 51 strikeouts not only show the excellent command you look for, but they also show how good his stuff can be as he averaged nearly two strikeouts per inning. Williams also allowed just three homers, as he does a phenomenal job of keeping the ball in the park. Consistently a guy who sits in the mid-90s, Williams was seen topping out at 97 MPH during the second half of the season, leading some to believe he has even more velocity in that arm. Along with that comes a tight and late-moving slider that averages 87 mph, while also offering a massive over-the-top curveball that can be seen touching 83 mph. Both of those pitches have the potential to be key strikeout pitches as they generate a ton of swing and miss. For a team that doesn't have much swing and miss in its entire staff, apart from a few players, this is a massive addition to the organization, as the Cubs have another raw, yet experienced college arm to mold and work with. Grade B: Of all the late-round selections the Cubs made, this could be one of their better selections for a variety of reasons. Sure, Williams doesn't have a ton of experience, but the experience he has comes from pitching in the game's best conference game, game in and game out. That alone is something that you can't coach, as he knows what difficult competition is all about. Second, when you talk about high-leverage or late innings arms, Williams is that guy and is suddenly a piece the Cubs can mold into the arm they want him to be. As is the case with any rookie, especially those picked late in the draft, patience is needed, as it will take some time for Williams to not only adjust to pro ball, but also to develop into the pitcher both he and the Cubs want him to be. Either way, this is one of those late-round picks that we could look back on in a few seasons and agree that he was the steal of the draft in more ways than one. An extended look at RHP Nate Williams (@HailStateBB)... 3.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 5 K, 1 BB https://t.co/CjBaR96uTJ pic.twitter.com/GEGtpRhpyB
