Can Case Williams, the homegrown pitcher with an already twisty minor-league tale, be a steady hand in the Rockies’ future rotation?
How he does this spring may answer that question.
Williams, 21, will be in a major league camp as a non-roster invite. Colorado’s fourth-round draft pick in 2020 out of Douglas County High, the 6-foot-3 right-hander is coming off a strong 2022 in which he pitched at three minor league levels, culminating with Double-A Hartford.
His numbers are average, with a 5.05 career ERA and 1.50 WHIP in 42 games (40 starts). Plus, Williams isn’t ranked among Colorado’s Top 30 prospects by MLB.com. But the Rockies like his pitch mix, confidence and approach.
That’s why general manager Bill Schmidt traded back for Williams in a deadline deal with Cincinnati in 2021, eight months and three days after then-GM Jeff Bridich traded Williams to the Reds.
Williams’ arsenal features a fastball (90-94 mph), change-up (82-85), curve (upper 70s) and slider (82-85), which emerged as a consistent swing-and-miss pitch last year. After posting a 4.22 ERA in 16 starts for Low-A Fresno to begin 2022, Williams got bumped up to High-A Spokane, where he had a 5.57 ERA in six starts. He finished the year with one start for the Double-A Yard Goats, allowing four runs on six hits in six innings.
Double-A is probably Williams’ starting point again this season.
