Alika Williams

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #22 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 40/Medium
  
  Track Record: Williams was part of a star-studded Arizona State infield that in 2020 produced five draft picks, including four within the first 102 selections and No. 1 overall pick Spencer Torkelson. Williams went to Tampa Bay in the supplemental first round on the strength of standout defense that has been the hallmark of his career. He was dealt in 2023 in the deal that brought Robert Stephenson to the Rays.
  
  Scouting Report: Six weeks after being traded, Williams made his big league debut. With Pittsburgh, he played to script and provided solid defense at shortstop with almost no offensive impact. He’s got excellent range and can make all the plays at shortstop, although his arm strength in the big leagues was below-average. He’s a plus runner, which helps him provide range to his right and left. He’s a passive hitter who makes solid contact on pitches in the zone but chased a bit too much during his time in the minor leagues. Despite decent exit velocities, his power is well below-average and he’s unlikely to produce double-digit home runs even if given regular playing time.
  
  The Future: Williams stanched a wound left by the season-ending injury to Oneil Cruz. Once he returns, Williams’ playing time is likely to diminish and he’ll settle in as a defensive replacement in the late innings with a start every now and again.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 30 | Power: 30 | Run: 60 | Field: 60 | Arm: 45
• 
  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #29 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: As a supplemental first-round pick, Williams was the second-highest drafted Arizona State shortstop of all time, trailing only Red Sox shortstop Deven Marrero (24th overall, 2012). Like Marrero, no one disputes Williams’ defensive skills, but there have long been concerns over whether he will hit enough to be a regular.
  
  Scouting Report: Williams has lived up to the lofty expectations for his plus glove. He’s a rangy shortstop who has a good understanding of when to make the highlight play and when to hold the ball. He moves well both to his left and right and has excellent body control. His above-average arm plays even better than that because of a quick release. He’s capable of making accurate throws without the need to set his feet. His bat remains the question. He makes plenty of contact (he had an excellent 9% swinging strike rate in 2021), but he’s an aggressive hitter who doesn’t walk and doesn’t drive the ball. He’s also an average runner who doesn’t swipe bases, so his offensive contribution is largely based on hitting for average. He’s a below-average hitter with 5-10 home run power, which means he’s best as a bottom-of-the-order bat.
  
  The Future: Williams is the best pure glove in the Rays’ system. He’s going to need to either become more patient or get stronger. Otherwise, he’s on the Kyle Holder career path.
  
• 
  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #19 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: Williams is the highest drafted Arizona State shortstop since Deven Marrero was a firstrounder in 2012. Marrero is an interesting analogue for Williams. Like Marrero, Williams is considered an excellent defensive shortstop who faced questions about his bat. He hit .300/.383/.400 for his Sun Devils career.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Williams makes the shortstop position look easy because he is a fluid athlete who has such smooth actions. He's rangy with an excellent first step. His ability to be at least an above-average glove at shortstop and possibly plus is why he was a top-40 pick despite persistent questions about his bat. Williams puts the bat on the ball, but he just doesn't frighten pitchers. His contact ability makes him a bottom-of-the-order hitter who isn't a complete nothing offensively, but he projects as a below-average hitter with well below-average power.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Rays love to collect athletic up-the-middle defenders with contact ability. If they can unlock a little more in Williams' bat, he's a future big league regular. If not, his glove still could pave a way to a role.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #31 prospect in 2020 draft
  Williams has drawn some comps to former Sun Devil shortstop Deven Marrero and will likely be the highest drafted ASU shortstop since Marrero went in the first round in 2012. While Williams has gotten some first-round buzz, there are plenty of opinions that he fits better in the second round. He’s at least an above-average defensive shortstop, earning plus grades from some talent evaluators, with sure hands and first-step quickness that consistently puts him in good fielding position. His solid-average arm plays up because of his footwork and quick exchange. Williams controls the strike zone well, walking more than he struck out during his college career, and his hands work well at the plate. He was miscast as a cleanup hitter during parts of his Sun Devil career, with observers believing he was pulling too many balls in the air instead of hitting to his strengths, which is making outstanding contact going gap to gap. He has room to add strength which would give more impact to his bat, but regardless he’s a glove-first shortstop who can stay at the position throughout his career. He’s no more than an average runner with good instincts on the bases, but speed will never be a big part of his game. Williams wisely chose not to sign when the Yankees took him in the 32nd round in 2017 out of Rancho Bernardo (Calif.) High but he should get selected high enough in 2020 to start his pro career.
• Ranked #206 prospect in 2017 draft
  Scouts flocked to Rancho Bernardo High to see outfielder Calvin Mitchell, and Williams took advantage of the attention and caught evaluators' eyes. Williams is an athletic defender with the actions and instincts to stick at shortstop and eventually be a plus defender there. He has above-average hands and an average arm and he has the projectable 6-foot-2, 175-pound frame to improve both. Williams is just a fringe-average runner but his instincts and athletic reflexes give him the necessary range. Williams has good hitting instincts and flashes average bat speed. He generates surprising power on occasion, but evaluators still want to see significant strength gains. He also struggles recognizing spin at times. Some evaluators project Williams as a defense-first player in the mold of Nick Ahmed, but many feel he should go to college to make necessary offensive improvements. Williams is committed to Arizona State.

• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 45/High
  
  Track Record: As a supplemental first-round pick, Williams was the second-highest drafted Arizona State shortstop of all time, trailing only Red Sox shortstop Deven Marrero (24th overall, 2012). Like Marrero, no one disputes Williams&#39 defensive skills, but there have long been concerns over whether he will hit enough to be a regular.
  
  Scouting Report: Williams has lived up to the lofty expectations for his plus glove. He&#39s a rangy shortstop who has a good understanding of when to make the highlight play and when to hold the ball. He moves well both to his left and right and has excellent body control. His above-average arm plays even better than that because of a quick release. He&#39s capable of making accurate throws without the need to set his feet. His bat remains the question, but he has shown modest improvement at the plate in 2022. He&#39s not hitting the ball much harder consistently, but he&#39s managing to hit for more power anyway.
  
  The Future: Williams is the best pure defender in the Rays minor league system. But he&#39s going to need to continue to become more patient and get stronger and drive the ball more.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: As a supplemental first-round pick, Williams was the second-highest drafted Arizona State shortstop of all time, trailing only Red Sox shortstop Deven Marrero (24th overall, 2012). Like Marrero, no one disputes Williams’ defensive skills, but there have long been concerns over whether he will hit enough to be a regular.
  
  Scouting Report: Williams has lived up to the lofty expectations for his plus glove. He’s a rangy shortstop who has a good understanding of when to make the highlight play and when to hold the ball. He moves well both to his left and right and has excellent body control. His above-average arm plays even better than that because of a quick release. He’s capable of making accurate throws without the need to set his feet. His bat remains the question. He makes plenty of contact (he had an excellent 9% swinging strike rate in 2021), but he’s an aggressive hitter who doesn’t walk and doesn’t drive the ball. He’s also an average runner who doesn’t swipe bases, so his offensive contribution is largely based on hitting for average. He’s a below-average hitter with 5-10 home run power, which means he’s best as a bottom-of-the-order bat.
  
  The Future: Williams is the best pure glove in the Rays’ system. He’s going to need to either become more patient or get stronger. Otherwise, he’s on the Kyle Holder career path.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Williams is the highest drafted Arizona State shortstop since Deven Marrero was a firstrounder in 2012. Marrero is an interesting analogue for Williams. Like Marrero, Williams is considered an excellent defensive shortstop who faced questions about his bat. He hit .300/.383/.400 for his Sun Devils career.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Williams makes the shortstop position look easy because he is a fluid athlete who has such smooth actions. He's rangy with an excellent first step. His ability to be at least an above-average glove at shortstop and possibly plus is why he was a top-40 pick despite persistent questions about his bat. Williams puts the bat on the ball, but he just doesn't frighten pitchers. His contact ability makes him a bottom-of-the-order hitter who isn't a complete nothing offensively, but he projects as a below-average hitter with well below-average power.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Rays love to collect athletic up-the-middle defenders with contact ability. If they can unlock a little more in Williams' bat, he's a future big league regular. If not, his glove still could pave a way to a role.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Williams is the highest drafted Arizona State shortstop since Deven Marrero was a firstrounder in 2012. Marrero is an interesting analogue for Williams. Like Marrero, Williams is considered an excellent defensive shortstop who faced questions about his bat. He hit .300/.383/.400 for his Sun Devils career.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Williams makes the shortstop position look easy because he is a fluid athlete who has such smooth actions. He's rangy with an excellent first step. His ability to be at least an above-average glove at shortstop and possibly plus is why he was a top-40 pick despite persistent questions about his bat. Williams puts the bat on the ball, but he just doesn't frighten pitchers. His contact ability makes him a bottom-of-the-order hitter who isn't a complete nothing offensively, but he projects as a below-average hitter with well below-average power.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Rays love to collect athletic up-the-middle defenders with contact ability. If they can unlock a little more in Williams' bat, he's a future big league regular. If not, his glove still could pave a way to a role.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Williams is the highest drafted Arizona State shortstop since Deven Marrero was a firstrounder in 2012. Marrero is an interesting analogue for Williams. Like Marrero, Williams is considered an excellent defensive shortstop who faced questions about his bat. He hit .300/.383/.400 for his Sun Devils career.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Williams makes the shortstop position look easy because he is a fluid athlete who has such smooth actions. He's rangy with an excellent first step. His ability to be at least an above-average glove at shortstop and possibly plus is why he was a top-40 pick despite persistent questions about his bat. Williams puts the bat on the ball, but he just doesn't frighten pitchers. His contact ability makes him a bottom-of-the-order hitter who isn't a complete nothing offensively, but he projects as a below-average hitter with well below-average power.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Rays love to collect athletic up-the-middle defenders with contact ability. If they can unlock a little more in Williams' bat, he's a future big league regular. If not, his glove still could pave a way to a role.