From Greenville to the Big Leagues: ECU Players Chasing a World Series
October baseball has a little extra purple and gold this year. Three former Pirates are on playoff rosters, and all of them are expected to have real roles as the chase for a World Series begins.
Gavin Williams – Cleveland Guardians
Gavin Williams is getting the ball in the spotlight right away. The former ECU ace is starting Game 1 of the American League Wild Card series for the Guardians. Williams has turned into a front-line arm in Cleveland, finishing the 2025 regular season with a 12–5 record, 3.06 ERA, and 173 strikeouts. Pirate fans remember him blowing hitters away in Greenville, and now he’s doing the same thing on the biggest stage. Cleveland is putting their trust in him to set the tone for the entire series, and there aren’t many bigger compliments than that.
Trey Yesavage – Toronto Blue Jays
It didn’t take long for Trey Yesavage to get his chance in the show. He debuted in 2025 and immediately made noise, striking out nine batters in his first game, a Blue Jays franchise record for a debut. Over his first month in the majors, he continued to show the same swing-and-miss stuff that made him dominant at ECU. Toronto added him late in the year to boost their pitching depth, and his role in October could be as a spot starter or multi-inning bullpen weapon. For a guy who was pitching in Greenville not long ago, it’s wild to see him already trusted on a postseason roster. Yesavage’s rise has been quick, but he looks ready for the moment.
Jeff Hoffman – Toronto Blue Jays
Yesavage isn’t the only Pirate in Toronto. Veteran reliever Jeff Hoffman has been there, done that, and cashed in with a three-year, $33 million contract before this season. He’s spent 2025 as a key bullpen arm for the Blue Jays, pitching in 71 games with a 9–7 record, 7 saves, a 4.37 ERA, and a 1.19 WHIP. Hoffman has bounced around the league since his ECU days, but this year he’s back in October with a chance to help Toronto push toward a deep run. His experience and poise will be huge for a Blue Jays team trying to survive the gauntlet of the American League.
ECU’s October Pipeline
Three Pirates. Two teams. All in meaningful roles. That’s what Cliff Godwin’s program has built — a track record that doesn’t stop in June. For ECU fans, it’s another reminder that the path from Greenville to the majors is alive and well, and now it’s running through the MLB Playoffs. And the more Pirates shine under the October lights, the stronger that pipeline is going to look for the next wave of talent coming through Clark-LeClair.