Cutters’ Williams is a prototypical cleanup batter
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As the Williamsport Crosscutters continue to shuffle their lineup around to find the perfect order for the MLB Draft League Championship, one spot in the order already seems to be penned in. The role of the cleanup hitter, while not designated typically for the best overall hitter in the lineup, may be the spot that provides the most spark.
With the odds of an MLB team winning the game based on who scores first shoots to roughly 70%, being the guy that cleans up the bases early and often can provide the offensive spark needed to catapult a ballclub further.
And for Williamsport in the second-half season, it is a spot in the lineup more often than not occupied by first baseman Matthew Williams.
From the onset, the Lititz native has all the makings of the prototypical cleanup bat. Standing at 6-feet, 5-inches, only 6-foot-9 reliever Bobby Helt stands taller than the slugger on the roster. And at 240 pounds, his power at the plate proves that the weight comes from the gym.
The 22-year-old was a power hitter from the jump in his baseball career. Spending his four college seasons with Division II program Millersville in the hypercompetitive Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, the Lititz native was a first-day starter, compacting over 50 appearances in each of his four seasons. Taking the reins for a program that won back-to-back PSAC Championships and a 2023 NCAA Championship appearance, Williams would bat a career .314 average in 214 appearances that included a program second-best 191 runs batted in with a program record 45 home runs.
His best power hitting performance would come in his junior year, with the Pennsylvanian knocking 18 balls out of the park. Not to be outdone, he would respond with 10 bombs in his senior campaign as well.
Matthew Williams' presence in Williamsport was felt the moment he stepped into Bowman Field. Like all good cleanup hitters, Williams comes with a level of eccentricity in what he does.
For one, good luck trying to see him smile. After a blast out of the park, you would think Williams just flew out, save for the occasional stick-out-the-tongue or head slam after a big blast.
While walkup song genres can vary in genres, Williams opted to come out to what can only be described as Tik-Tok eleganza. As of Tuesday, his choice to walk up to the plate is "Gut Genug," a German electro-pop single that is popular as background music on short form Internet content.
What has not come in short form has been his production in Williamsport. In just 13 appearances, Williams has generated a ridiculous .342 batting average while ranking first in the second half in OPS (1.271) amongst players with seven games played or more.
Part of that OPS mark is due to 10 of Williams' 14 hits going for extra bases, with six total doubles and four home runs placing fourth and third in the Second Half season.
After missing a short duration of time with an injury, Williams would prove he didn't miss a step in Williamsport's last contest on Saturday. In an 11-6 handling of the Trenton Thunder, Williams went a modest 1 for 4 with a run scored and a run driven in as Williamsport jumped to the top three of the MLB Draft League Standings.
The Cutters are back at home this week, with Williamsport hosting the West Virginia Black Bears in a three-game set beginning Tuesday. Going into the series, the first-half champion Cutters are 11-10 on the second-half campaign and a monstrous 31-17 overall. With 26 games left in the second half, the Cutters' push to become the first team in the MLB Draft League era standings within a game-and-a-half from the first-place State College Spikes. In order to break the MLB Draft League overall win total record of 48 set by the 2022 West Virginia Black Bears, Williamsport would need to go 18-8 the rest of the season.