:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71042115/usa_today_17755833.0.jpg)
The Texas Longhorns have found their new pitching coach, hiring San Jacinto Gators assistant Woody Williams to replace Sean Allen, who was dismissed the day after the 2022 season ended in the College World Series.
ASSISTANT SCOOP: @TexasBaseball has hired MLB veteran Woody Williams as its new pitching coach, sources tell @d1baseball. Williams spent the last six seasons as the pitching coach at junior college power San Jacinto (TX) CC. He rounds out the two full-time staff hires. #HookEm
— Kendall Rogers (@KendallRogers) July 2, 2022
Through 2020, Williams had 15 pitchers selected in the MLB Draft from San Jacinto, including six in the 2019 MLB Draft. Current Texas Tech pitcher Brandon Birdsell credited Williams for his development at San Jacinto after transferring from Texas A&M.
“Woody Williams has made the biggest impact on my career so far,” Birdsell told Baseball Prospect Journal. “I didn’t have a lot of confidence going into San Jac. I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t expect myself to go in there and be some sort of superstar or anything.
“I was just expecting some sort of development. I was kind of scared because I didn’t have much faith in myself. Woody helped me out throughout the process and stuck with me.”
Some further thoughts from a fellow assistant at San Jacinto:
He was a great SS at Houston as well. He will love spending time with the infielders also. He will focus primarily on the P-staff and if allowed, he will help with all aspects of the team. He is a Pitching coach that has done it all.
— C⭕️achK43 (@sanjacgator43) July 3, 2022
I’m guessing he is the only pitching coach in America that can say he hit an absolute laser off Randy Johnson off the CF Wall in Arizona. Oh, and he’s incredibly competitive. I know, he, weaver and I ran shop on our players in Volleyball! #NineStraightWs
— C⭕️achK43 (@sanjacgator43) July 3, 2022
Prior to spending seven seasons as a volunteer assistant at San Jacinto, Williams spent three years at Fort Bend Christian Academy and two seasons with a Houston Heat, a prominent travel program in the state.
As a player, Williams made his way from Wharton Junior College to Alvin Junior College and then to Houston before spending 20 seasons in professional baseball with the Toronto Blue Jays, San Diego Padres, St. Louis Cardinals, and Houston Astros.
Loading comments...