Gavin Scott Williams (born July 26, 1999) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Cleveland Guardians of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2023.
Williams attended Cape Fear High School in Fayetteville, North Carolina. As a senior in 2017, he threw two consecutive no-hitters after returning to play after undergoing surgery on a torn meniscus. He ended his senior year with a 6âÂÂ1 win-loss record and a 0.35 earned run average (ERA) over 39 innings pitched. He was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 30th round of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft, but did not sign, instead enrolling at East Carolina University.
In 2018, as a freshman for the East Carolina Pirates, Williams missed time due to a forearm strain but still compiled a 1.15 ERA over innings. After the 2018 season, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod Baseball League. As a sophomore in 2019, he appeared in 21 games (five starts), going 1âÂÂ4 with a 4.56 ERA over innings. In 2020, he pitched three innings before the college baseball season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was considered a top prospect for the 2020 Major League Baseball draft, but went unselected. Williams moved into the starting rotation for the 2021 season. He missed the beginning of the year with a minor injury but still appeared in 15 games (making 12 starts), going 10âÂÂ1 with a 1.88 ERA with 130 strikeouts over innings. He was named the American Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year alongside earning 2021 College Baseball All-America Team honors.
The Cleveland Indians selected Williams in the first round, with the 23rd overall selection, of the 2021 Major League Baseball draft. He signed for a $2.25 million signing bonus.
Williams was assigned to the Lake County Captains of the High-A Midwest League to make his professional debut and begin the 2022 season. After nine starts in which he went 2-1 with a 1.40 ERA and 67 strikeouts over 45 innings, he was promoted to the Akron RubberDucks of the Double-A Eastern League. Over 16 starts with Akron, he posted a 3-3 record with a 2.31 ERA and 82 strikeouts over seventy innings. He returned to Akron to open the 2023 season. After three starts, he was promoted to the Columbus Clippers of the Triple-A International League. Williams logged a 3âÂÂ2 record and 2.93 ERA with 61 strikeouts across nine starts for Columbus.
On June 20, 2023, the Guardians announced that Williams would be promoted to the major leagues for the first time to start the following day against the Oakland Athletics. He made his MLB debut the next day at Progressive Field versus the Athletics, allowing four runs on four hits and three walks along with four strikeouts across innings in a 7-6 Guardians victory. He spent the remainder of the season with the Guardians. Across 16 starts during his rookie campaign, Williams recorded a 3âÂÂ5 record and 3.29 ERA with 81 strikeouts across 82 innings pitched.
Williams began the 2024 season on Cleveland's injured list with right elbow inflammation. He was transferred to the 60âÂÂday injured list on May 9, 2024. He was activated from the injured list on June 30. Upon his return, Williams made 16 starts for the Guardians and went 3-10 with a 4.86 ERA and 79 strikeouts across 76 innings.
Williams returned to Cleveland's starting rotation for the 2025 season. On July 1, 2025, he recorded an unusual inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, retiring three baserunners via âÂÂnon-plate appearance outsâ in one inning; one at home plate and two on pickoffs at first baseâÂÂmarking the first such occurrence for Cleveland since at least 1920, and the first in MLB since April 13, 1985. On August 6, 2025, Williams came two outs short of throwing a no-hitter against the New York Mets. After striking out former Cleveland Indian Francisco Lindor to open the ninth inning, Juan Soto hit a home run to end the no-hit bid. Williams was removed after inducing a fly ball and a walk. This would have been the first Cleveland no-hitter since Len Barker's perfect game against the Toronto Blue Jays in 1981, and would have given the Blue Jays the longest no-hit drought.
Williams ended the 2025 regular season having started 31 games for Cleveland and pitched to a 12-5 record, a 3.06 ERA, and 173 strikeouts over innings. He made his postseason debut as Cleveland's starting pitcher in Game 1 of the 2025 American League Wild Card Series versus the Detroit Tigers. He gave up two unearned runs and struck out eight batters over six innings and was the game's losing pitcher as Detroit won 2-1.