Devin Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Devin Williams has been in the league since 2019 and he already has two All-Star selections under his belt to go along with a Rookie of the Year and Reliever of the Year Award.
Since he’s entered the league, the 28-year-old has quickly made a name for himself and has been a dominant force out of the Brewers’ bullpen.
A big reason why he was named to this year’s All-Star team.
No Airbender In Seattle
Though we won’t get a chance to see Williams make an appearance in the All-Star Game this year (because the Brewers decided to rest him during the break due to heavy usage recently) we have had the opportunity to see him put on an impressive performance the first half of the season.
Williams has had a rollercoaster career since being drafted in 2013. He’s faced a lot of adversity early on in his career, but has overcome any obstacles that have come his way.
For those who may not know, Williams would have attended the University of Missouri if he didn’t decide to turn pro.
And a big reason why he committed to Missouri was because of the coach who was the recruiting coordinator and assistant coach there at the time.
The relationship between Devin Williams and Kerrick Jackson
Kerrick Jackson was recently named the new head baseball coach at Missouri. It all came full circle for Jackson, because from 2011 to 2015, he was there as the assistant coach.
Jackson had a good idea that Williams could be drafted when he recruited him, but he made sure that he would always be there for Williams.
“I told him when we were going through the recruiting process … I said, ‘Listen, make sure you understand, regardless of whether you show up on campus or whether you signed in the draft, I’m going to be with you for life,’ Jackson said in an article from Andscape a few years ago ‘Unless you tell me to go someplace else.’ I said, ‘I have a sense of obligation to make sure that you become the man that I think you can be. And I’m not worried about the baseball part.’ ”
Jackson is someone who takes pride in developing relationships with people and it’s not all about baseball to him.
“I think what it comes down to is understanding that specifically when we’re dealing with our young Black males, I’m tending to you as a young Black male, first and foremost, take baseball out,” he said.
Williams ultimately chose the professional route and it’s paid off for the right-hander so far. But he will always know that Jackson will always be there in his corner.
Williams has put up impressive numbers this season
This season Williams has given hitters a tough time out there. Through 34 games, he has a 4-2 record with a 1.89 ERA, 45 strikeouts, and 20 saves.
Williams has seen a lot of success during the past few seasons and he continues to show that competitive side every time he steps on the mound.
“I think that’s huge for me,” Williams said in an article from mlb.com. “My goal is to be perfect every time out. I don’t succeed in that a lot of that time, but that’s what keeps me going into the next one, and the next one. Then you finally have that good one, but you don’t forget how hard you had to work before that, just to have that one perfect inning.”
If Williams can continue to have the success he’s been having, he can put together a Hall of Fame type career when it’s all said and done.
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