Mac Williamson

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked San Francisco Giants #11 prospect in 2016
  Baseball America ranked Williamson as the best high school pitching prospect in the state of North Carolina back in 2011, but he never threw a pitch at Wake Forest. He missed his freshman year after having surgery on the labrum in his shoulder, so he morphed into one of the school's better power hitters. He showed similar power in his first two pro seasons after the Giants made him a 2012 third-round pick, but he missed almost all of 2014 after he had Tommy John surgery. He made it to San Francisco for his major league debut in September 2015. Williamson does not have elite bat speed or a short swing, so he will produce more power than batting average in the big leagues. He will chase at times, but he draws walks and has enough power to hit 20 home runs or more. Scouts doubt that his .291 career minor league average will play in the big leagues, but he should record solid on-base percentages. Defensively, Williamson is average in right or left field, and his arm bounced back from surgery to play as above-average in right field. His power and on-base ability give him a chance to be a useful big leaguer, though his swing is not conducive for a player who plays sporadically. Williamson will compete for a job in San Francisco in 2016 spring training.
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  Ranked San Francisco Giants #11 prospect in 2015
  When Williamson was coming out of high school, he was expected to step into Wake Forest's rotation, though some scouts had also liked him as a catching prospect. A shoulder injury that required surgery meant he became the Demon Deacons best power hitter instead. He's hit for power as a pro as well, but Williamson's 2014 season never really got started. An elbow injury bothered him from day one. The Giants sent him back to high Class A San Jose so he could DH, but before long he and the club recognized he needed Tommy John surgery. He missed the rest of the year. Williamson has double-plus raw power in batting practice and has shown plus power in games thanks to excellent strength, solid bat speed and a tendency to take big cuts. He has developed a good understanding of the strike zone and draws plenty of walks to go with his home runs, though he can get pull happy and doesn't always recognize breaking balls. Despite his massive size, he's an excellent athlete whose strong, pre-injury arm was an asset in right field. He's an average runner who steals bases successfully because he gets good reads. Williamson's combination of plate discipline, immense power and surprising athleticism gives him a chance to be a productive corner outfielder. His surgery went as expected, and he was throwing in November with a chance to be ready to play right field at Double-A Richmond in 2015.
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  Ranked San Francisco Giants #5 prospect in 2014
  Williamson easily had the most impressive season of any Giants hitting prospect at a full-season affiliate, leading the organization in home runs (25) and RBIs (89). He started his banner year by blasting three homers in a spring training scrimmage and kept making hard contact while tying for third in the Cal League in bombs. A prep catcher and pitcher who had labrum surgery as a college freshman, Williamson is making up for lost time with a max-effort approach, desire and a good work ethic. Williamson's righthanded power is his best tool, but he's shown an improved approach, leading high Class A San Jose in walks. Breaking balls can still vex him, but he has the strength to hit his pitch out of the park to all fields. Williamson combines imposing size with solid athleticism. He's an above-average athlete who runs average underway, and he was caught stealing only once in 11 attempts. His range is average and his arm is strong enough for right field, if not always accurate. His pitch recognition skills will be tested as he moves up to face more advanced competition in the pitching-rich Double-A Eastern League.
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  Ranked San Francisco Giants #16 prospect in 2013
  It's hard to get power to play at AT&T Park. So the Giants have taken their draft shots at plus-plus power-hitting college juniors with questionable contact skills, hoping they can file off the raw edges in the minor leagues. Their latest gamble is on Williamson (full name: Johnathan Mackensey Williamson), and the early returns are encouraging. Widely seen as a third-round overdraft who signed for $390,000 ($22,300 under the assigned value for his pick), Williamson had a monster August for short-season Salem Keizer that included six homers, almost certainly buying him an express pass past Augusta to San Jose for 2013. Williamson has power to all fields and is a max-effort player who impressed coaches with his work ethic and desire. He played center field at Wake Forest but profiles best in right, where he shows plus arm strength if not accuracy. He is not an instinctive outfielder but was determined to improve in instructional league. Williamson is a solid runner who had less than a 50 percent success rate on stolen bases in each of his three seasons at Wake Forest. For a power hitter, Williamson doesn't have a long swing. He usually gets in trouble when he hits off his back leg and spins out on pitches. He's shown the ability to take walks, stay on breaking balls and hit mistakes a long way.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #236 prospect in 2012 draft
  While offense in college baseball has trended down with the new bats, Williamson's power has trended up. In 181 at-bats as a redshirt junior, Williamson had 17 home runs and a .608 slugging percentage. He puts out plus-plus raw power from his 6-foot-4, 240-pound frame. It comes with some swing-and-miss and scouts have reservations about his ability to hit, but he has toned down his strikeouts a little this season and walked at a solid rate. He plays center field for Wake Forest and runs well, but he fits best in right. He has a strong arm that would profile fine there.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked California League #18 prospect in 2013
  While a league-leading pitching staff was primarily responsible for San Jose?s success, Williamson led the way offensively, showing the plus power the Giants bought into in making him a third-round pick in 2012. He led San Jose in homers and finished tied for third in the league with 25 before adding one more in the playoffs. Williamson has a hulking 6-foot-5 frame and can hit balls out of any park. That power will be what carries him, as scouts worry about his hit tool after he struck out 22 percent of the time. He struggled to a .253 average in the first half as he adjusted to the caliber of Cal League pitching, looking too much like he was guessing, but his selectivity improved over the course of the year and he hit .331/.408/.578 in the second half. Williamson?s strong arm gives him a second plus tool and he should have no issue playing right field. His outfield defense is otherwise serviceable though not spectacular, and he?s a decent runner.
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  Ranked Northwest League #11 prospect in 2012
  Williamson rated as the top prep pitching prospect in North Carolina in 2008, but he hurt his shoulder and never took the mound in college. He became a slugger instead, tying for the Atlantic Coast Conference lead with 17 homers in 2012 and continuing to display plus power after signing as a third-round pick. Though he has a quiet setup, Williamson profiles as a below-average hitter because he has some stiffness and lacks natural rhythm at the plate. He also can be too passive at times, taking fastballs he should be crushing. Despite his big, strong frame, Williamson moves well and shows some quick-twitch athleticism. A center fielder last spring at Wake Forest, he fits best in right field and played their exclusively as a pro. He has solid speed and arm strength, and he tracks balls well.

• December, 2015 Scouting Report
  Baseball America ranked Williamson as the best high school pitching prospect in the state of North Carolina back in 2011, but he never threw a pitch at Wake Forest. He missed his freshman year after having surgery on the labrum in his shoulder, so he morphed into one of the school's better power hitters. He showed similar power in his first two pro seasons after the Giants made him a 2012 third-round pick, but he missed almost all of 2014 after he had Tommy John surgery. He made it to San Francisco for his major league debut in September 2015. Williamson does not have elite bat speed or a short swing, so he will produce more power than batting average in the big leagues. He will chase at times, but he draws walks and has enough power to hit 20 home runs or more. Scouts doubt that his .291 career minor league average will play in the big leagues, but he should record solid on-base percentages. Defensively, Williamson is average in right or left field, and his arm bounced back from surgery to play as above-average in right field. His power and on-base ability give him a chance to be a useful big leaguer, though his swing is not conducive for a player who plays sporadically. Williamson will compete for a job in San Francisco in 2016 spring training.