Williams gone from Wild Things, awaits draft

The Hunter Williams experiment is over for the Wild Things.
Williams, the 21-year-old left-handed pitcher who is likely to be selected next week in Major League Baseball’s First-Year Player Draft, was released Friday. Williams signed with Washington in April in an attempt to improve his draft value after he became academically ineligible to pitch for the University of North Carolina in December, the middle of his junior year.
Williams played two seasons at UNC, winning seven games, and played last summer in the prestigious Cape Cod Summer League, where he finished second in the league with 1.27 ERA.
With Washington, Williams had an 0-1 record and 7.29 ERA in three starts. In his first outing, at Lake Erie, Williams struck out 10 in only five innings but gave up two home runs and lost 4-2. In his last two starts, Williams had command issues, walking 10 in only 7 1/3 innings.
The Wild Things decided that Williams would be removed from the rotation and pitch out of the bullpen this weekend. The pitcher’s agent, however, thought that wouldn’t help his client and informed the Wild Things that Williams was leaving the team.
“I took him out of rotation and that probably precipitated the response that came from his agent,” Washington manager Gregg Langbehn said. “The bottom line is, they didn’t see the value of pitching out of the bullpen. I understand what they’re doing, but we also have to make tough decisions on a daily basis and this one impacted Hunter. We’re trying to get some stability in the rotation.”
Williams, who led Chesterfield County (Va.) to the Pony League World Series championship in 2010, was ranked last month by Baseball America as the No. 187 draft-eligible player. The three-day draft begins June 12.
“He has a good arm. He should get drafted. Where? I don’t know,” Langbehn said. “I know that I like him.”
Williams hit 91 mph with his fastball while with the Wild Things but had trouble maintaining that velocity as games progressed.
Williams’ struggles against older and more experienced players in the Frontier League shouldn’t scare off many major league teams. Williams’ story is similar to that of Washington Nationals pitcher Tanner Roark, who played college baseball at Illinois and had the same eligibility issue as Williams. Roark signed with the Southern Illinois Miners of the Frontier League prior to the 2008 draft. With Southern Illinois, Roark was 0-2 with a 21.41 ERA in three games. He was drafted in the 25th round by the Texas Rangers. He has won 47 major-league games for the Nationals in five seasons.
“These decisions are never easy. I hope everything turns out well for Hunter,” Langbehn said.
Prior to their game Saturday against the Traverse City Beach Bums, the Wild Things activated pitcher Mark Smyth from the suspended list and put pitcher Vince Apicella on the 7-day disabled list.
Smyth is a former West Liberty University pitcher who played last season in the independent Can-Am League with Quebec. After two offseason trades, Smyth was acquired by Washington from Florence in exchange for shortstop Austin Wobrock.
Smyth began the season on the suspended list because he was completing his student-teaching.
There is one former Wild Things player currently in the major leagues and two in affiliated minor leagues. Pitcher Vidal Nuno (2011) is in the majors with the Baltimore Orioles while pitcher Chris Smith (2011-12) is in Class AAA and outfielder Stewart Ijames (2013-014) is in Class AA.
Nuno has bounced between the majors and minors this season. He is currently in the big leagues with the Orioles and has an 0-1 record and 6.75 ERA with 12 strikeouts in 12 innings. Nuno pitched in nine games for Class AAA Norfolk and was 1-3 with a 3.68 ERA. He struck out 17 in 14 2/3 innings.
Smith, who was added to Toronto’s 40-man roster late last season, is with the Buffalo Bisons. After spending time on the disabled list, Smith has a 1-1 record with two saves and a 4.00 ERA in eight games.
James is in his second season in the Southern League, playing for the Jackson Generals. He is batting .196 with two home runs and six RBI in 51 at-bats.
Outfielder Quincy Lattimore (2013) began the season with Class A Lakeland in the Detroit Tigers system but has been released and is playing in the Mexican League. Former Wild Things manager Darin Everson (2010-11) is the hitting coach for the Albuquerque Isotopes, the Colorado Rockies’ Class AAA affiliate.