Quick Facts
Biography
Amos Lee Willingham (born August 21, 1998) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2023.
Career
The Washington Nationals selected Willingham in the 17th round, with the 513th overall selection, of the 2019 Major League Baseball draft. He made his professional debut with the Low–A Auburn Doubledays, pitching to a 3.67 ERA with 18 strikeouts across 12 appearances. Willingham did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He returned to action in 2021, beginning the season with the Single–A Fredericksburg Nationals. On August 14, 2021, Willingham combined with Gilberto Chu and Leif Strom to no–hit the Salem Red Sox, the first no-hitter thrown in Fredericksburg history. He posted a 2.28 ERA in 23 games for Fredericksburg, and was briefly promoted to the High–A Wilmington Blue Rocks. In 6 contests for Wilmington, Willingham struggled to a 14.54 ERA with 14 strikeouts and 6 walks across 13.0 innings, and was returned to Fredericksburg shortly thereafter.
Willingham spent the 2022 season with High–A Wilmington, making 29 appearances and registering a 3.41 ERA with 40 strikeouts and 3 saves in 34+1⁄3 innings pitched. He began the 2023 season with the Double–A Harrisburg Senators, and logged 14 strikeouts and 5 saves in 10+2⁄3 scoreless innings pitched across 10 contests. On May 14, 2023, Willingham was promoted to the Triple–A Rochester Red Wings. In 10 games with Rochester, he recorded a 3.46 ERA with 11 strikeouts in 13.0 innings of work.
On June 26, 2023, Willingham was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time. In 18 appearances during his rookie campaign, he struggled to a 6.66 ERA with 15 strikeouts across 24+1⁄3 innings pitched. Willingham was optioned to Triple–A Rochester to begin the 2024 season.