Fangraphs has a column that includes an interview with Gavin Williams about his fastball. Here's a portion:
The Fayetteville, North Carolina native first hit triple digits during his freshman year at East Carolina University, and as meaningful as that milestone was to his identity on the mound, he recognizes that retiring big-league hitters takes more than pure velocity.
“I don’t think 96 to 100 is that big of a difference,” Williams said. “If it’s down the middle it can get hit. Putting it where you want to is a bigger thing. It also matters how it moves.”
Williams gets good ride — “anywhere between 16 and 18 vert” — and he also possesses elite perceived velocity. Per Statcast, he ranks in the 99th percentile for extension, an attribute that only began augmenting his heater this season.
“It has changed big time from last year to this year,” explained Williams, who debuted with the Guardians on June 21 and has a 3.43 ERA and a 4.22 FIP over 76 big-league innings. “Last year it was 6-5 extension, and this year it is more like 7-5. We fixed some things mechanically. I’m staying more connected to the rubber now. I’m not cutting myself off; I’m staying more direct to the plate.”
Williams answered “absolutely” when I asked if he identifies as a power pitcher, and Carl Willis used the same term when appraising the highly-regarded youngster. According to Cleveland’s pitching coach, what the hard-thrower mostly needs is more repetitions against baseball’s best hitters.
“He’s got the power, and he spins the ball well, so t’s just a matter of gaining more experience,” said Willis. “With experience comes consistency. A pitcher with good stuff can out-stuff a hitter in the minors, but t’s a lot more difficult to do that at this level. There are some things you just can’t replicate in the minor leagues. The more major-league hitters he’ll face, the more comfortable he’ll get, and the more consistent he’s going to get. He’s got a chance to be a really good pitcher up here.”
