Hunter Williams

A 32nd-round pick of the Giants out of high school, Williams pitched and occasionally hit for North Carolina for two years and was projected to pitch in the weekend rotation for the Tar Heels heading into this spring before he was unexpectedly removed from the team due to academic issues. The thick-bodied lefthander has instead pitched this spring for the Washington Wild Things, a team in the independent Frontier League. Last season for UNC, Williams pitched primarily out of the bullpen as the team's go-to lefty, and he struck out 41 to 26 walks in 37.1 innings. At his best, he can run his fastball up to 94-95 mph, but he generally sits several ticks lower, around 87-92 mph. He's shown flashes with a slider and has the chance for two average offspeed offerings with his changeup. Williams made a handful of midweek starts in his UNC career but was never stretched out. The development of his secondary pitches as well as his command could determine whether he sticks as a back-of-the-rotation starter or a lefty reliever.