MMO Exclusive: Right-Handed Pitcher, Sam McWilliams

Growing up, Mets’ right-handed pitcher Sam McWilliams was a first-generation baseball player.

Neither his father nor anyone in his immediate family played ball, or even rooted for a specific team. But McWilliams had a knack for it. He started playing and absorbed the game by watching Monday Night Baseball on ESPN.

It certainly paid off, as he was drafted in the eighth round of the 2014 Major League Baseball draft out of Beech High School in Hendersonville, Tenn. by the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Phillies flipped McWilliams to the Arizona Diamondbacks after the 2015 season for veteran starter Jeremy Hellickson. He remained with the D-Backs for two-plus seasons before being traded again in 2018 to the Tampa Bay Rays in a deal surrounding outfielder Steven Souza.

In the 2018-19 offseason, the Kansas City Royals took McWilliams in the Rule V draft, but returned him to the Rays in March of that year. In 2019, McWilliams rose to the Triple-A level, primarily as a starter, but occasionally pitched out of the bullpen as well.

During the shortened 2020 season, McWilliams reported to the Rays’ alternate site and was part of their 60-man player pool, but never got tabbed to make his MLB debut.

The 25-year-old became a free agent at season’s end and garnered interested reportedly from nearly half the league. The Mets, fresh off Steve Cohen purchasing the club, made McWilliams the first signing of their new era by giving him a MLB contract and 40-man roster spot.

McWilliams and I caught up this offseason to discuss his professional career, signing with the Mets, his outlook going forward and how and when we might get to see him deployed going forward.

Piersall: You’ve kind of bounced around between a few organizations in your professional career. Can you take me through what it’s been like to have been traded twice as well as having been selected in the Rule V draft, and also being a free agent? How difficult is that, especially when it has all happened for you before you’ve even debuted in the majors?

McWilliams: Definitely the first time was a shock. I was actually at home sitting on my couch. I think it was the first week of November and I remember getting the call and was kind of stunned. I was like, “wow, I guess it’s just that easy to move pieces.” I don’t know, it was a really weird feeling. But then the second time around, I actually kind of knew it was going to happen.

It was a weird situation, so, I was in Spring Training with the Diamondbacks, and we had known about this trade that happened in the offseason for Steven Souza, Jr., and we knew there were going to be “players to be named later.” There were two to be exact, so we heard rumors and stuff about this list and I basically kind of figured out that I was on this list by certain scouts hanging around and at my outings in Spring Training and into the first month of the season.

It was always the same guy for the Tampa Bay Rays at every game video taping everything, so I had a pretty good idea it was going to happen, but when it did, I was really excited.

Piersall: Being in that scenario, how do you stick to your game, knowing that you’re possibly getting traded? Is it stressful knowing you could be on the move, or is it something that elevates your game?

McWilliams: It was definitely weird, but I also feel like it made me feel locked in that much more. I had a really good spring and a really good start to the season, so it was kind of just fuel to the fire I guess and it ended up working out really well.

Piersall: You were with the Tampa Bays Rays most recently before joining the Mets, and reported to their alternate site in 2020. What was your time like in that organization considering they made it to the World Series last year? Additionally, how did being part of an organization that relied so heavily on analytics help you go about your game?

McWilliams: When I got to Tampa, I really didn’t know much about pitch profiles, and movement profiles, and different things you can do to play up your strengths. So they will take whatever you do well, or if you are doing something that is maybe the wrong direction, they kind of guide you with this information. At the same time though, it’s very easy to get caught up in that information when you are on the mound.

It was almost like a learning curve, so I had all this new info, and I wanted to apply it to get results, so it’s just a matter of finding that fine balance between competing when you’re on the field and learning and trying to get better on the side and in practice days before the game or whatever it is.

Piersall: Do you use any technology such as Rapsodo to track the movement on your pitches and getting to hone in using something more detailed and nuanced like that?

McWilliams: Normally when I would throw bullpens during the season, we would hop on the Trackman and that shows you all the movement profiles and what you can tweak, and really all I look at now can be done with the Rapsodo, which is really good for spin efficiency, axis, stuff like that. Your release, where on the clock your slot is, just little stuff like that.

Piersall: Kind of going off that a little bit, what helped you gain some velocity on your fastball upon joining the Rays organization?

McWilliams: That was kind of a whole other chapter in my throwing and progression last (2019-20) winter. Me and my buddy Tyler Zombro, who is also with the Rays and I played with him in (Double-A) Montgomery in 2019, he’s a really smart guy and he had a chance to be around me a lot and saw me throw everyday. So going into last winter, we had a good idea of what we wanted to do as far as cleaning up little stuff. Making the arm path more efficient, syncing everything up, and we really did that with my weighted ball throws and then medicine ball stuff. Cleaning up the lower half, just like enforcing the proper patterns, so when I got on the mound, the athleticism just took over.

Piersall: You mentioned your friend and your teammate Tyler Zombro. I was reading a little about him and he seems awesome, as well as like, the closest thing to a two-way player these days, because he has a lot of coaching qualities as well. I know you and him were close, and even had lockers close in proximity in the minors I read. Can you tell me a little bit more about your relationship with Tyler, how he goes about things and how he has impacted other teammates?

McWilliams: It started out when I met him in spring 2019 when I came back over from the Royals. I got the gist of how knowledgeable this guy was and how good of a grasp he had on the little things that can make you better. So I really just annoyed the hell out of him all year, I asked him like a million questions every day. Just little things I could do, like clean up the arm path or whatever it was, get better command, stay behind the ball. Then last winter, I went over to his facility, and he did the full evaluation with me and we kind of broke it down from there.

Piersall: Last season with the Rays, you were part of the 60-player pool and taxi squad. Not having a minor league season, I can imagine, was difficult. How did being at the alternate site and part of that player pool substitute for a minor league season?

McWilliams: It was definitely weird. A lot of firsts last year for sure. It was really cool because we had a really good group of guys and everyone was there for the right reasons. Everyone understood what we were there for and the end goal. It was really fun, even though it wasn’t the best environment per se, like 10 a.m. at Port Charlotte in the summer. We made it a lot of fun though, we did a really good job and just helped each other to get better.

Piersall: Being in the 60-player pool and being in the midst of a pandemic, there are a lot of moving parts. How was it working with guys who are constantly being shuffled between the pool and the active roster, and especially being with the Rays too where you were playing with guys who were with the team for the stretch run and postseason?

McWilliams: I think it just made us all that much better. Seeing everyone get opportunities, and seeing everyone’s hard work pay off. It sucks that I didn’t get a chance to show what I can do, but I learned a lot this year. I think I definitely got a lot better and learned a lot about myself and got a better feel for my repertoire. I got a better feel for just my body in general, body awareness, strike zone control. Even though I didn’t get a chance to pitch in any real games last year, other than the first spring training, I feel like I definitely made some strides.

Piersall: Obviously, you were a really attractive name on the market this year. Reportedly, more than half the teams in MLB were interested in you this offseason. What attracted you to the Mets over say 14-15 other teams?

McWilliams: I really like that they kind of came out of nowhere. Obviously, they had their in-house stuff going on with the new ownership, but I really like how they came out strong and said, “hey, you are who we want,” and they made a really good offer. I feel like the way they presented it, I felt really good about it. The new regime and changing of the atmosphere there was really attractive to me.

Piersall: Can you take me through the process of how the actual signing with the Mets went down?

McWilliams: Obviously, a weird and unique year. I really didn’t know what to expect at all going into free agency. This was my first time having type of say, or decision making. So when the ball got rolling a bit, I was like, “OK, we are going to be in a good spot,” and it was really exciting. Then, I didn’t actually talk to the Mets until I was about to make a decision. I had kind of narrowed it down to a couple teams, and was going over offers, taking my time, talking to all my close friends and family, trying to make a decision.

The Mets kind of threw a wrench in all that with what they had to say and what they offered was a really clear cut choice for me.

Piersall: You spent a few weeks with the team this spring before being optioned to Triple-A a couple weeks ago. What did you incorporate into your daily routine to finish off the spring before heading to the alternate site in Brooklyn to kick off the season?

McWilliams: More than anything, the tempo and timing type stuff. Physically, I feel really good and mentally, the confidence is there. I think all my pitches and pitch shapes are where I want to be. Now I think it’s just a little more refining the command. Obviously, I had a couple more walks than I would have liked this spring, so really just trying to hammer the consistency and the tempo of my delivery.

Piersall: About a month ago now, you were throwing a live batting practice on the backfields against some of the guys on the team. Kevin Pillar in particular really raved about your strikeout ability, and said it was a night and day difference from the first time you faced him. Did anything in specific change from the first time to the second time you were facing those guys? Were there any adjustments you were making throughout the spring at all?

McWilliams: The first live BP that I threw, I definitely tried to do too much, I guess you could say. I think when a hitter stepped into the box, I wanted to impress and bump the stuff up, but I was a little out of whack timing wise trying to put too much on it, trying to make my stuff nasty. The second time around, I stayed with a good thought process, aggressive over the plate early, and just let my stuff play, and was throwing a lot more strikes.

Piersall: There were some times this spring where guys were making some solid contact against you, but there were a lot of positives as well. You had a lot of success with your fastball and your slider combo. Is that something you are conscientious of from an individual standpoint, and if so, how can you continue to use that to your advantage?

McWilliams: The biggest thing for me now, I think the hard hit balls I gave up, the one was a single. I think I pulled two pitches in a row, went too low, and whenever you are 2-0, the guy is pretty much sitting dead red, so I kind of just grooved one for him. Once I figure everything out with the tempo, I will be getting ahead of guys early.

Piersall: Coming into the Spring after signing a major league with the team, was it a different kind of spring for you, knowing that you have that security of being on the 40-man roster?

McWilliams: It was definitely a better feeling, but I think the goals were still the same. I still want to come in, I’m the new guy. I had some expectations on me, nobody really knew what they were going to get because I didn’t pitch in front of anyone last year, so obviously I wanted to come in and show off my stuff. But the goal was the same for me as it was in 2020, 2019, every year before that.

Piersall: You had two saves this spring, but also have experience starting through your minor league career. It seems as though the plan is for the Mets to deploy you as a reliever. Have you had to make any adjustments to your game to prepare coming in later in games as opposed to every fifth day?

McWilliams: As far as I know, I’ll be in the bullpen, maybe two innings-ish, sometimes three. I think the process still remains the same though. When I first moved to the bullpen, I thought, “oh, I’m going to have to change stuff. I’m going to have to get ready quicker, or I’m going to have to throw harder.”

Honestly, after doing it for awhile, I think the process should be the same. It’s just a little more sporadic as far as a routine. You’re not going to be able to do the same thing everyday, you’re not going to have the same amount of time to get ready. I think it comes down to having that confidence in yourself, that way when you get up, you don’t panic. You get loose and then when you get out there, you get eight more pitches, so for me personally, it doesn’t take too long to get hot.

Piersall: Before you got under games this year, manager Luis Rojas did say you could be a hybrid type that provides a spot start here and there as well. Do you know if the organization has any plans for you to potentially jump into a starting role if you need to?

McWilliams: I think I have the same approach regardless. If they did need me to start, I’d be open to that of course. I think I need to approach everything the same way, I think I need to remain consistent, I need to throw a lot of strikes early. Breaking balls in the zone and to not mess around trying to put guys away on 2-2, 3-2 counts, so I think being in the bullpen has made me realize that. I don’t have to change the game plan at all, I can just be aggressive and let my stuff play.

Piersall: You along with a lot of other guys in the organization are new to the team this spring. You were added on early in the winter, and then after you were added, the Mets pretty much flipped half their 40-man roster. With being a new guy with a new club yourself, but also having a lot of other new players around, how were the vibes around camp? It certainly seemed like everyone quickly started to mesh together nicely.

McWilliams: It was awesome. It was basically a huge reason why I signed with the Mets in the first place. Knowing that there would be a certain buzz in the locker room and around the whole team in general, so when I got there, it was actually a really easy transition. Everyone made feel comfortable and it’s a really good group of guys. It makes me really excited going forward.

Piersall: When you were in live BP earlier this spring, you were sitting around 95 mph, but you did get up to around 97 as well. Ideally in a full season, what is your fastball going to be sitting at and what range would you like to ride consistently?

McWilliams: A majority of my outings and bullpens I’ve been pretty consistent this winter and going into the spring. I think my first outing, I might have been a little too amped up, maybe yanked a few balls, gave up a couple walks, gave up the single. But then I settled in and I think I was sitting around 96.5. Over a season I think that’s the range I’d like to sit in. In my head it’s when I’m at my best, it’s like, how easy I can throw 95-96 mph, and then how good I feel on that day, I can really let it go when the confidence is there. Even in some situations if I’m yanking the ball, or trying to do too much, let’s dial it back just a little bit, pitch at like 90 percent. Sometimes, that’s what you need, but it really depends on the day for me.

Piersall: For the fans reading at home, can you give a little breakdown of your pitch repertoire a bit mote and how your height impacts your approach when you’re on the mound?

McWilliams: I feel like the last few years before this, I’ve always had a new delivery, trying to make tweaks and get that little extra movement or whatever it is. Last year, it kind of all came together. I feel like the stuff I did last (2019-20) winter really just put me in a good position to go out there and not really think about anything. My main thought now when I’m on the mound is to move quick, be smooth, fast, efficient, and really just try not to think too much at all.

In the past, I’ve thrown both two-seam and four-seam fastballs. Last winter, we kind of decided to scrap the two-seam and chase the vertical movement, especially out of the bullpen. I can just go four-seam and slider, and try to get the most vertical movement possible behind the ball. That even helped me with my command a little bit too, and staying flush with the ball.

When I was throwing two-seamers, I was almost cutting it off at a lower slot, and it was coming off my fingers a little funky. So when I started throwing only four-seamers and long tossing a little bit more, it got me more behind the ball and a much better feeling in the zone throwing with that.

Piersall: You were born in Florida, and went to school in Tennessee. What team did you follow when you were growing up?

McWilliams: To be honest, I didn’t really have a team. I grew up in Orlando, and my dad wasn’t really a huge baseball player and my family didn’t really have any baseball players before me or have any baseball teams that they rooted for. So I just grew up playing the game early and ended up turning into a fan, watching Monday Night Baseball or whatever was on, and I just really enjoyed the game. I’m almost like a first generation baseball player.

Piersall: Sam, thank you so much for your time.

McWilliams: Thank you!

Sam can be found on Twitter: @SamMcWilliams3.