Notes: Taylor Williams takes another step forward
PHOENIX - Taylor Williams is close to pitching in games again but has learned — the hard way — not to look past today.
“I’m just focusing on what I need to stay focused on and not really worry about the big picture of where I’m at in the process of things,” he said. “I’m sticking to what I need to do each and every day to get ready for the season.”
The Milwaukee Brewers pitching prospect is accustomed to taking things step by step. After suffering an elbow injury in his first big-league camp two years ago and eventually undergoing Tommy John reconstructive surgery, he has missed two full seasons.
Baseball life becomes a series of small victories during a rehabilitation period of that length and the 25-year-old right-hander enjoyed another one Saturday morning with a live batting practice session on a back field at Maryvale Baseball Park. Outfield prospects Brett Phillips and Ryan Cordell stepped into the batter’s box against Williams and came away suitably impressed.
“I’ve never seen him pitch before but he has good stuff,” Phillips said. “He was throwing hard, and it was easy, too. And he kept the ball down. It was impressive.”
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Williams returned to the mound for the first time during instructional ball last fall and his fastball was clocked as high as 97 mph. Since then, it has been a matter of continuing to build arm strength and working on all of his pitches.
“Right now, it’s just about gaining ‘comfortability’ with other pitches and building a foundation of pitching, which is building off your fastball and throwing it for strikes,” Williams said after the session. “And working on your secondary stuff, and throwing it for strikes.
“Having hitters in the box is a good time to have that reference, and see where you are with things, and learn from that and get better each and every day.”
Noting Williams last played in advanced Class A ball, manager Craig Counsell said patience and caution are still important considerations.
“There are hurdles, even while he’s pitching,” Counsell said. “You have to go through those hurdles of the first season pitching after surgery.”
At some point soon, Williams will be reassigned to minor-league camp and begin pitching in games there. His goal is to break camp on the active opening-day roster of one of the farm teams.
Asked if he could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, Williams smiled and said, “Absolutely.” But he also knows there is no skipping steps.
“I haven’t played in two years,” said Williams, one of the top-rated pitchers in the Brewers’ system at the time of his injury. “So, right now, it’s just getting through spring training, improving every day, and working on things I need to work on. And staying healthy.”
That last detail remains the most important.
Heating up: Much like a year ago, outfielder Michael Reed needed a few spring games under his belt to get comfortable at the plate. After a 1-for-10 start, he collected five hits in his last 10 at-bats, including a double and home run, to boost his overall average to .300.
“Sometimes, it takes guys a few at-bats to get going, get the timing back,” Reed said. “I’m one of those guys. I believe it’s just getting good pitches to hit and being aggressive early in the count, and in the (strike) zone.
“I wasn’t doing that early in the spring. A lot of it has to do with timing at the plate. Lately, I’ve been more aggressive. Hopefully, I can keep that going.”
Reed, 24, who played eight games with the Brewers last September, is well aware of the logjam of quality outfielders in camp. In all likelihood, he will return to Class AAA Colorado Springs to get regular at-bats but said it does no good to focus on where he fits at this stage.
“You start thinking about all of that, it only puts more mental stress on you,” he said. “You just go out and do your job and be the best player you can be. There is so much young talent in this camp, not just in the outfield but all the positions.”
Williams to be examined: Pitching prospect Devin Williams, who sustained an elbow injury in a minor-league intrasquad game March 7, is being sent to specialist James Andrews for a second opinion on an MRI taken afterward. That development is an indication that Williams' injury is thought to be serious.
After Andrews renders his opinion, the Brewers said he will collaborate with team physician William Raasch on a treatment plan.
