Blake Williams Stats & Scouting Report

Full name Blake K. Williams
Born 02/22/1979 in Austin, TX
Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Texas State
Drafted in the 1st round (24th overall) by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2000 (signed for $1,375,000).

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Williams' stock had already climbed dramatically by the time he blanked Texas in an early May game. That outing may have solidified his stock as a possible top 100 pick. By adding 15 pounds in the offseason, the 6-foot-5 righthander improved his velocity by 5-6 mph. His fastball topped out at 92 this spring, but his best pitch is a hard 82-84 mph slurve. The improvement in both pitches enabled him to compile a 9-5, 3.05 record with 101 strikeouts in 106 innings.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Williams was one of the biggest surprises in the major league phase of the Rule 5 draft in December after missing most of the season recovering from Tommy John surgery. He had the operation in July 2001 and returned to the mound ahead of schedule. He may have come back too soon, though, making just two starts before being shut down with a mild case of tendinitis. The Cardinals wouldn't let him return to the mound as a precaution, and possibly in an attempt to hide him from the Rule 5 draft. All three of Cincinnati's big league Rule 5 picks came with disclaimers, as Luke Prokopec is recovering from arthroscopic shoulder surgery and Jerome Gamble is a member of the Tommy John fraternity. The 24th overall pick in the 2000 draft, Williams began his pro career in promising fashion before being sidelined. When healthy, he has an average fastball, a plus curveball, a developing changeup and good command. His delivery was considered clean before the injury, and because he didn't rely solely on arm strength--though he touched the mid-90s in college--he should be able to recover his form. The Reds' reports had Williams at 100 percent during the offseason.
After an encouraging pro debut in 2000 and a strong start in 2001, Williams followed the unfortunate path of other Cardinals pitching prospects and was felled by an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery. He went under the knife in June, so the Cardinals hope he can get back on a mound by the end of 2002. Before the injury, Williams was on the fast track to St. Louis, having begun his first full season in high Class A. He has an average fastball that can touch the mid-90s at times, and his best pitch is a curveball with slider action. He has great command and also has good mechanics, so he's not expected to have chronic arm problems. Williams' changeup needs improvement, but that should come with experience. That's his biggest need at this point: to come back healthy and log innings. Williams projects as a solid middle-of-the-rotation starter who could get better if his arm bounces back. The Cardinals are anxious for him to return.
Williams wasn't the first player the Cardinals drafted in 2000, but he was the most impressive. He came with the team's second pick in the first round, which they received for losing Darren Oliver to the Rangers. St. Louis has taken a college pitcher in the first round of nine of the last 11 drafts. Williams added 15 pounds of muscle before his junior season and 5-6 mph to his fastball, taking it to the mid-90s. His best pitch may be his slurvy curve. He's a big kid who carries himself well and has good mound presence. He has a solid pitcher's body and mechanics, as well as an idea about how to work in the strike zone. The Cardinals haven't seen much they don't like yet. Williams needs to work on his changeup and refine his command, but that should come with innings. After his strong debut at short-season New Jersey and an impressive instructional league, Williams has the organization excited about seeing him in spring training. He could take a jump to high Class A with a good performance.

Minor League Top Prospects

An emotional young prospect with a red-hot intensity and the skills to match it, Williams likely would have won the Carolina League's ERA title had he not injured his elbow late in the season. His 2.43 ERA in 17 starts was much more indicative of his talent than his 4-10 record. Williams went from short-season ball to high Class A, and there's no question he's talented enough to pitch in the major leagues. When he gets there depends on how quickly he comes back from Tommy John surgery. Managers rated his slurve the best breaking ball in the Carolina League. Williams complements that pitch with a mid-90s fastball and a changeup. "He's got a good arm and a good breaking ball," Cannons manager Joe Cunningham said. "What it boils down to is being consistent with his pitches."