Trevor Williams Bio
Trevor Anthony Williams, born on April 25, 1992, is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball (MLB). A right-handed starter who has also worked in relief, Williams has pitched in the majors since 2016 and has suited up for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, and Washington Nationals. Across his MLB career through the 2025 season, he has compiled a 53–65 win–loss record, a 4.46 earned run average, and 825 strikeouts.
Early Life and Background
Trevor Anthony Williams grew up in the San Diego area of Southern California, where he attended Rancho Bernardo High School. As a young athlete in one of the country’s most competitive baseball regions, he developed on local diamonds and drew early attention from college recruiters for his mound presence and projectable frame.
After graduating from Rancho Bernardo High School, Williams took his game to the Pac-12 Conference, playing college baseball at Arizona State University for the Sun Devils from 2011 to 2013. He started 38 games during his college career, going 18–8 with a 2.98 earned run average. In the summer of 2012, he further sharpened his skills with the Orleans Firebirds of the Cape Cod Baseball League, a respected wooden-bat development circuit.
Path to Professional Baseball
Following his junior season at Arizona State, Williams saw his name called in the 2013 Major League Baseball draft, when the Miami Marlins selected him in the second round. He quickly moved through the Marlins’ minor league system, making his professional debut with the Gulf Coast League Marlins and also appearing for the Batavia Muckdogs and Greensboro Grasshoppers. Across 12 starts among those three clubs, he went 0–2 with a 2.38 ERA in his first pro season.
Williams continued to climb the ladder in 2014 and 2015. With the Jupiter Hammerheads in 2014, he earned Florida State League All-Star recognition before a midseason promotion to the Jacksonville Suns, finishing 8–7 with a 3.13 ERA across 26 starts. The following year, pitching for Jacksonville and the New Orleans Zephyrs, he logged a 7–10 record and 3.85 ERA in 25 games, positioning himself for a future big league opportunity.
Trevor Williams Career
Pittsburgh Pirates Era (2016–2020)
On October 24, 2015, the Marlins traded Williams to the Pittsburgh Pirates as compensation related to a front-office hire. He spent the early part of 2016 with the Indianapolis Indians, going 9–6 with a 2.53 ERA in 20 games, and earned a September call-up to the majors. In 12 2/3 innings for the Pirates that year, he posted a 1–1 record with a 7.82 ERA.
Williams became a fixture in Pittsburgh’s pitching staff from 2017 through 2020. In 2017, he opened the year in the bullpen before sliding into the starting rotation, finishing 7–9 with a 4.07 ERA in 31 games. The 2018 season represented his best big league campaign, as he went 14–10 with a 3.11 ERA in 31 starts and 170 2/3 innings, ranking in the top 10 of the National League in both wins and earned run average. His production declined in 2019 (7–9, 5.38 ERA) and in the shortened 2020 campaign (2–8, 6.18 ERA), and the Pirates designated him for assignment in November 2020 before he elected free agency.
Chicago Cubs (2021)
On February 5, 2021, Williams signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the Chicago Cubs. He made 13 appearances, including 12 starts, going 4–2 with a 5.06 ERA across 58 2/3 innings. An emergency appendectomy in late May sent him to the injured list and cut his Cubs tenure short, setting the stage for an in-season move.
New York Mets (2021–2022)
On July 30, 2021, the Cubs traded Williams, along with Javier Baez and cash considerations, to the New York Mets in exchange for prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong. He appeared in 10 games for the Mets down the stretch, registering a 3.06 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 32 1/3 innings. On July 14, 2022, Williams recorded his first career save, firing three scoreless relief innings against the Chicago Cubs.
Washington Nationals Era (2023–Present)
On December 10, 2022, Williams signed a two-year, $13 million contract with the Washington Nationals, beginning a new chapter in the National League East. In 2023, he made 30 appearances for Washington, posting a 5.55 ERA with 111 strikeouts across 144 1/3 innings. He returned on a new two-year, $14 million deal on December 30, 2024, and opened 2025 in the rotation.
The 2025 season, however, was derailed by injury. Williams made 17 starts, going 3–10 with a 6.21 ERA and 65 strikeouts in 82 2/3 innings, before a July 9 announcement revealed a partial tear of his ulnar collateral ligament. He underwent an internal brace procedure on July 19, 2025, ending his year.
Notable Events and Milestones
Williams’ career is highlighted by a breakout 2018 season with Pittsburgh, a first career save against the Cubs in 2022, and a 2024 campaign in which he led Washington pitchers in WAR. His 2013 second-round selection, his cross-country trade to Pittsburgh, and his July 2025 surgery each mark defining moments in his journey through professional baseball.
Trevor Williams Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Trevor Anthony Williams is a devout Catholic, a member of the Knights of Columbus, and is known for the religious iconography on his arms, including the Jesuit motto “AMDG” and an allusion to Saint Benedict of Nursia. He married his wife, Jackie, in November 2014, and the couple welcomed a son in 2015. In July 2019, they adopted a daughter, expanding their family as Williams continued to navigate a major league career.
2025 Season Performance
Williams began the 2025 season in the Washington Nationals’ rotation, working to build on his strong 2.03 ERA across 66 2/3 innings the previous year. The results, however, trended in the wrong direction, as he posted a 3–10 record and a 6.21 ERA in 17 starts with 65 strikeouts in 82 2/3 innings. The club’s outlook shifted on July 9, when the Nationals announced that Williams had suffered a partial tear of his ulnar collateral ligament.
Williams underwent an internal brace procedure on July 19, 2025, ending his season and putting his recovery timeline at the center of Washington’s pitching plans. The injury interrupted what had been a stabilizing veteran presence in the rotation and leaves questions about his availability for the start of the 2026 campaign. For a pitcher still under contract through 2026, the focus now turns to rehabilitation and a potential return to form once he is cleared to pitch again.
