Antoine Villard

Antoine Villard

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 200 lb.

• School Arizona Western College

• Born March 23, 1998 in Martigues, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur France

Biographical Information

Antoine Villard has pitched in French Division I and for the French national team.

Villard debuted in Division I in 2014, at age 16; he was 0-1 with a 4.09 ERA and a WHIP over 2 for the Chevaliers de Beaucaire while going 5 for 16 at the plate with four RBI. He attended the MLB European Elite Camp in 2015. He was 1-1 with a 4.15 ERA in the 2015 European Junior Championship, beating Great Britain but losing to the Czech Republic. In Division I that year, he struggled at 0-2, 10.57 in three games.

Despite his struggles in the 2015 campaign, he made the French squad for the 2016 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers. He got to pitch against Panama in the semifinals, relieving Yoann Vaugelade in the 5th with a surprising 3-1 lead but the bases loaded and only one out. He retired Jonathan Saavedra on a grounder that cut it to 3-2 then intentionally walked Carlos Ruiz. He nearly got out of the jam by getting Javy Guerra to pop up into foul territory but 2B Fred Walter dropped it and Villard wound up walking Guerra to tie it. He then walked Luis Castillo on a full count to force in another run (the runs being charged to Vaugelade, unearned). Jonathan Mottay relieved and escaped further harm.

The right-hander moved to the Barracudas de Montpellier for 2016. He was hit hard in the 2016 CEB Cup (7 H, 6 R, 5 ER in 3 IP) as their least-effective hurler. In the 2016 European Junior Championship, he was the top pitcher (0 ER in 10 IP; 3 UER, 6 H, 5 BB, 8 K) and got a win over host Spain. In the '16 Division I campaign, he had a save and a 2.19 ERA for the Barracudas despite 18 BB in 12 1/3 IP. He also was with France in the 2016 European Championship but was their only pitcher not utilized.

The Martigues native switched clubs again in 2017, moving to the Templiers de Sénart. He allowed two runs in two innings in the 2017 CEB Cup. In Division I, he was 5-2 with a save, a 3.77 ERA and 41 K in 31 IP. He tied Fumitaka Sakaguchi for 8th in the league in wins. He went to the US for junior college in the 2017-2018 season and struck out 21 in 14 1/3 IP while going 0-1 with a save and a 3.77 ERA just like he had in France. He was back with Montpellier for the summer and struggled (0-1, 10.29).