Drafted in 10th round by the Cubs
Published in the August 6 – 19, 2014 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Robert Airoldi
Photo courtesy the Williams family
Ryan Williams with the East Carolina Pirates.
Like most young boys growing up, Sobrato High School grad Ryan Williams dreamed of playing major league baseball. However, unlike most young boys, Ryan’s dreams came true in June when he was drafted out of East Carolina University by the Chicago Cubs in the 10th round of the draft.
“It was a dream come true,” he said of the phone call he got telling him he was drafted. “My whole life my goal was to play professional baseball. It was an honor to get that call.”
Williams was recently promoted to Single A in Boise, Idaho and has thrown six innings in relief, giving up just one run.
Ryan grew up in Morgan Hill, played youth baseball and attended Britton Middle School before heading to Sobrato High School. It’s ironic getting drafted by the Chicago Cubs, he said, since he played for the Cubs in Pony Baseball.
“It’s a great community,” Williams said of playing youth baseball in Morgan Hill. “It was fun playing with the same group of guys for years.”
And some of those guys were terrific athletes as well, according to Jim Green, who coached Ryan in basketball at Britton where during his two years, the team went an astounding 47-1. Of the five starters on the team, three went on to play Division 1 baseball and one played Division 2 baseball.
Photo courtesy the Williams family
Ryan in youth baseball. Ironically, he was drafted by the Chicago Cubs after playing for the Cubs in Pony Baseball.
“Ryan was a great kid in class, in the gym and on campus,” Green said. “He has a wonderful personality and interacted with his peers and teachers very well.”
Green, a physical education teacher from 1977 through 1995 in Morgan Hill, is now semi retired. He still teaches one class and coaches softball, boys and girls basketball and track and field at Sobrato High School and he’s the athletic director. He said even at that young age, he could see the potential in Ryan.
“He’s a tremendous athlete,” Green said. “His skill level in basketball was so advanced. He was a great teammate who had zero drama.”
Asked to recall a story from Ryan’s Britton days, Green recalled the championship game they won in triple overtime after hitting three-point shots at the end of the first and second overtimes. Ryan hit the winning bucket in the third overtime with .03 seconds.
“Ryan could always perform under pressure,” Green said.
For his part, Ryan said coach Green is someone he looked up to.
“He’s a great guy and helped me by just talking,” Ryan said. “He was a major influence outside of sports and in every day life.”
Ryan said his parents played a huge role in chasing his dream.
“Going from California to ECU, I couldn’t have done that without their support,” he said. “They were more than happy to help me.”
His father Art Williams, a retired professional golfer, said he and Ryan’s mother and sister are proud of what he has accomplished.
“He’s done it all on his own,” his father said, deflecting praise and giving Ryan all the credit. “We provided him with love and guidance, nothing more than that. He’s done a fantastic job.”
That job now has him aiming for the big leagues and a spot on the Chicago Cubs pitching staff.
In his senior year at ECU he was a reliever. The Cubs haven’t really told him what his eventual role will be, but right now he’ll probably relieve for the rest of this year, he said.
“Whatever they see fit,” Ryan said. “Whatever they feel is appropriate, I’m excited to do either one.”
And, if he continues on the path he took to get him to this point, it’s very possible he could be pitching in the big leagues very soon, perhaps even at AT&T Park against the San Francisco Giants.
“What he’s accomplished, he put in the effort and all the hard work,” his dad said. “He’s the one who sacrificed to realize his dreams.”
