Position: SS
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 180 lbs
Bats/Throws: R/R
Born: 03/12/1999
Drafted: 1st Round, 37th overall, 2020 (Rays)
How Acquired: Trade (with Tampa Bay Rays for Robert Stephenson)
Bonus: $1,850,000
40-man Roster: Yes
Rule 5 Eligible: N/A
Minor League Free Agency: N/A
Options Left: 2
Overview
The Rays drafted Williams as a glove-oriented shortstop with the hands, quickness and footwork to stay at the position. He seems to be regarded as an above-average defender, certainly by the Pirates, but the defensive metrics think he’s average or a little below. His bat was more of a question mark. He takes a contact-first approach at the plate and was expected to hit for gap power at best. Statcast rates his foot speed as above average and his arm strength as below average.
2020-22
Williams was drafted in the pandemic year, so he debuted with the Rays in 2021. He spent most of that year in low A and most of 2022 in high A, although he made brief appearances in AAA both years and in AA in 2022. His hitting was about as advertised. In 2021, he had a .659 OPS in low A, generally making contact but not walking much or hitting for power. In 2022, he started showing a little power, batting 254/355/390 with ten home runs in high A. He improved his walk rate a great deal and still didn’t strike out much, totaling 47 walks and 68 strikeouts.
2023-24
The Rays sent Williams to AA in 2023 and his hitting fell off a little from the previous year. At the beginning of June, the Pirates acquired him for Robert Stephenson. They sent Williams to Indianapolis and he suddenly starting hitting for solid power. In 36 games there, he hit 305/384/531 with seven home runs. The Pirates called him up in late July and he played semi-regularly at short for a while, although eventually Liover Peguero won the bulk of the job. The gains Williams made at the plate didn’t stick, as he hit 198/270/248 in 112 plate appearances, with poor plate discipline, including a much higher K rate than he’d had in the minors. The defensive metrics didn’t agree with the scouting reports, as OAA saw him as average and UZR as below average, albeit in a very small sample size. The Pirates optioned Williams a few days before the end of the season when they called up Nick Gonzales.
In 2024, Williams opened the season with the Pirates, but was optioned four times. In the end, he played 41 games for Indianapolis and 37 for the Pirates, although of course he was mainly a backup with the Pirates. In AAA, Williams hit 311/384/396, leaving him with an OPS that was a little above league average. He had a solid BB:K of 20:34. With the Pirates he had just a .541 OPS, with a BB:K of 3:22. At both levels, he split his time between second and short, and he also played some at third in AAA.
Stats
Transactions
June 14, 2017: Drafted by the New York Yankees in the 32nd round, 962nd overall pick.
June 10, 2020: Drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 1st round, 37th overall pick; signed on June 18.
June 2, 2023: Traded by the Tampa Bay Rays to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Robert Stephenson.
July 25, 2023: Contract purchased by the Pittsburgh Pirates.