The Diamondbacks scout team features some of the top high school players in Arizona. The team participates in tournaments like the Perfect Game 17 and Under World Series, which happened in Mesa last week, to get exposure to scouts across the country. The Diamondbacks also get a firsthand look at some of the local talent that could become future Snakes in years to come.
The key to this program is to have someone who understands the values of the team, knows the culture, respects the team’s history and understands what the future may look like.
Jake Williams is the man for the job.
Williams grew up with this organization from its infancy. His father, Matt Williams, was a key cog in the Diamondbacks lineup that won the organization’s only World Series title in 2001 and is currently the third base coach with the team. Jake made a name for himself at Brophy High School and eventually the South Mountain Community College.
After being drafted by the Diamondbacks in 2011 and a few years playing in the Diamondbacks farm system, Williams splits his time between coaching and scouting for the organization. He explains in the video above what it means to him to share coaching duties with his father and how he hopes to help mold the future generations of Diamondback players.