- Full name Jeff Williams
- Born
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Williams became the ninth Australian to play in the major leagues and the second to play for the Dodgers when he made his major league debut late in 1999. He returned to the big leagues for seven relief appearances last year, when he made 12 Triple-A starts. He experienced numbness in his left hand and wrist during an early-season callup, then returned to Triple-A and tried to pitch through the discomfort before a pinched nerve was discovered. He had surgery, forcing him to miss the Arizona Fall League. Williams also has experienced a dead arm in the past. In 1996, he logged a lot of innings with Southeastern Louisiana and the Australian Olympic team. The result was a fastball that had difficulty breaking 80 mph for more than a year. He now throws in the low 90s with good movement, along with an average curveball and changeup. While he has had success during his stints in the majors, Williams remains an unproven 28-year-old pitcher who’s coming off an injury. In other words, it won’t be long before the clock strikes midnight on his big league potential.