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It's a good thing that Trevor Williams pitches well in hot weather. Because if all goes according to plan, the former Sun Devil ace will be taking his mid-90s fastball to the city of Miami very soon.
On Thursday night, the Miami Marlins selected Williams 44th overall in the Major League Baseball player draft. Williams was the fifth selection of the second round and the 17th right-handed pitcher drafted this year.
Despite an up-and-down junior season, Williams put together one of the most impressive pitching careers in school history and the Marlins rewarded him with an early-round selection.
In 2013, Williams compiled a 6-6 record and 4.12 earned run average over 16 starts. The hard-throwing righty displayed plenty of potential, but he would be the first to admit that this season was a grind. Regardless, he finished his days as a Devil with a 2.99 ERA over three seasons, which is the fifth lowest career mark in school history.
Williams became a Freshman All-American in his first season in Tempe as he rode a 2.50 ERA to a 1-0 record out of the bullpen. In 2012, the San Diego native made the transition to the starting rotation and he led the Pac-12 with 12 victories en route to becoming a 1st Team All-Conference pitcher.
Before this season, many scouts projected Williams as a sure-fire first round draft pick because of his deep arsenal of pitches. Aside from his overpowering fastball, Williams comes equipped with a hard curveball, a nice slider, and a changeup that could still use some work.
Williams was the third selection of the evening by the Marlins organization as the team used the sixth overall pick to take North Carolina third baseman Colin Moran. Miami followed Moran's selection by drafting pitching prospect Matt Krook out of Saint Ignatius College Preparatory in San Francisco, California.
The three years of college experience that Williams brings to the table should serve him well in an organization that is desperate for any help it can get. The Marlins currently own a .267 winning percentage and a 16-44 record and logic says any polished pitching prospect could lend a hand.