Scouting Report

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Draft scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 45 | Run: 50 | Arm: 65 | Field: 55 | Overall: 50

Torrey Pines High School in San Diego has had 11 players drafted in its history, headlined by 1995 first-rounder Chad Hutchinson. Only one has actually signed out of the school (Luc Rennie, 16th round, 2012), but that could change with Williams, who certainly raised his profile when he was named MVP at Perfect Game’s World Wood Bat Association World Championship last October.

Williams is fairly polished for a high schooler in all facets of the game. He’s hit over power now and while some scouts have voiced concerns about his lack of success against premium pitching, he does have offensive upside with good bat speed and some natural loft to his swing. He’s going to add strength to his 6-foot-2 frame and grow into more extra-base authority in the future. 

An average-to-a-tick-above runner, Williams easily has a plus arm and excellent actions and instincts at shortstop. That arm regularly fires fastballs up to 95 mph and there are evaluators who prefer him on the mound. The California recruit prefers to be a position player, however, with scouts comparing him to a Kevin Elster with more offensive upside or a Jordy Mercer type.

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Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 60 | Run: 55 | Arm: 70 | Field: 65 | Overall: 60

Believed by some to be a future pitcher, Williams won over the Rays as a potential everyday player and joined the system as the 28th overall pick in the 2021 Draft. He got off to a strong start with a 124 wRC+ over 113 games with Single-A Charleston in 2022, helping the RiverDogs win a Carolina League title. He followed that up with his first 20-20 season in 2023, hitting 23 homers and stealing 20 bags in 115 games across three levels (primarily with High-A Bowling Green).

The San Diego-area native may have one of the most striking profiles in the game. He’s a no-doubt shortstop with good reactions, hands and range with a 2022 Minor League Gold Glove Award already on his mantel. His arm, which touched 95 mph in school, gives him another defensive weapon, and he’s impressed so much at the six that Tampa Bay -- normally an organization that tries to press versatility on its prospects -- hasn’t entertained moving Williams around even as he closes in on the upper Minors.

Williams also possesses the speed to be a stolen-base threat, and his power clearly plays already, in part due to a naturally lofted swing that helps push balls over the fence. There are some truly loud tools here, but it might all come down to hitting. Williams struck out more than 31 percent of the time at both Single-A and High-A as he worked to find an approach that allows him to keep tapping into the power while prioritizing a bit more contact. The Rays believe that will come in time as he grows more comfortable in the pro game, but the hit tool will decide whether Williams is a solid regular or an All-Star-caliber shortstop.

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 60 | Run: 55 | Arm: 65 | Field: 60 | Overall: 55

Ranked as MLB Pipeline’s No. 41 Draft prospect in 2021, Williams had scouts who preferred him on the mound after he touched 95 mph at Torrey Pines High School in San Diego. The Rays preferred him as an everyday talent and backed up that belief by selecting him 28th overall and signing him to a $2.35 million bonus. The shortstop looked the part in his first full season at Single-A Charleston, where he produced a 124 wRC+, 19 homers and 28 steals in 113 games.

Williams is a bit atypical for his position in that he’s developed a power-over-hit profile. He’s added a good amount of muscle since the start of his senior year of high school, and the natural loft in his swing lets him take advantage with extra-base hits aplenty. His 32.1 percent K rate in 2022, however, was a major concern, and that came as a result of plate discipline issues. Rays officials are hopeful that Williams will continue to learn where in the zone he does the most damage and hunts pitches there over swinging and missing in search of simple contact.

A Minor League Gold Glove winner in his first full season, Williams has improved his range at the six to the point where he can be a plus defender there, and that arm that pumped mid-90s heat in high school is still a weapon when needed. The speed that helps him defensively makes him a threat on the basepaths, too. He didn't turn 20 until late June 2023, and if he can find a way to improve his contact rate in his second full season, the chances of him reaching his ceiling as an everyday, multi-skilled shortstop skyrocket.

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Arm: 65 | Field: 55 | Overall: 55

Playing for Torrey Pines High School in San Diego, Williams was a two-way prospect with such a strong arm – his fastball touched 95 mph – that some evaluators preferred him as a pitcher. But the Rays liked Williams better at shortstop, selected him strictly as a position player with the 28th pick in the 2021 Draft and signed him for $2.35 million. The former California commit said he was “ecstatic” to begin his career as a position player, and he showed his promise right away.

The 18-year-old right-handed hitter performed well enough in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League during his 11-game professional debut. But he really impressed Rays officials in offseason and preseason camps, coming in with even more muscle – in addition to the 10-15 pounds he put on during his senior year – on his 6-foot-3 frame. Considered a polished player overall coming out of high school, Williams is now showing more extra-base power potential at the plate. He has good bat speed and some natural loft to his swing but struggled against premium pitching as an amateur, so whether he reaches his ceiling is still dependent upon his bat-to-ball skills improving.

Williams is considered a true shortstop prospect, combining slightly above-average speed with quality actions and instincts in the field and plus arm strength. He also shows some intriguing leadership traits, with the way he carries himself drawing some favorable comparisons to a young Evan Longoria. His potential to stick at shortstop, plus his offensive upside, gives him a high ceiling even in a Tampa Bay system full of intriguing middle infielders. 

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 45 | Run: 50 | Arm: 65 | Field: 55 | Overall: 50

Entering 2021, Torrey Pines High School in San Diego had 11 players drafted in its history, headlined by 1995 first-rounder Chad Hutchinson. Only one had actually signed out of the school (Luc Rennie, 16th round, 2012) prior to Williams, who certainly raised his profile when he was named MVP at Perfect Game’s World Wood Bat Association World Championship last October. The shortstop became signee No. 2 after Tampa Bay took him 28th overall in July and inked him with a $2.35 million bonus.

Williams is fairly polished for a player coming out of high school in all facets of the game. He’s hit over power now, and while some scouts have voiced concerns about his lack of success against premium pitching, he does have offensive upside with good bat speed and some natural loft to his swing. He’s going to add strength to his 6-foot-2 frame and grow into more extra-base authority in the future.

An average-to-a-tick-above runner, Williams easily has a plus arm and excellent actions and instincts at shortstop. That arm regularly fires fastballs up to 95 mph, and there were evaluators who preferred him on the mound before the Draft. Those that liked him at short compared him to a Kevin Elster with more offensive upside or a Jordy Mercer type, and it is now on the Rays to develop him to reach that ceiling.

Awards

MiLB Awards Defensive Player of the Year

Year	Team
2024

SOU Top MLB Prospect

Year	Team
2024

SOU Post-Season All-Star

Year	Team
2024

Baseball America Minor League All-Star

Year	Team
2024

Baseball America Double-A All-Star

Year	Team
2024

SOU Player of the Week

Week	Team
05/19/2024
04/14/2024

MiLB.com Organization All-Star

Year	Team
2023
2022

AFL Rising Stars

Year	Team
2023

SAL Post-Season All-Star

Year	Team
2023

SAL Player of the Week

Week	Team
07/09/2023

Rawlings MiLB Gold Glove

Year	Team
2022

CAR Post-Season All-Star

Year	Team
2022

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Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	03/07/2024	Tampa Bay Rays Prospects activated SS Carson Williams.
	01/30/2024	Tampa Bay Rays invited non-roster SS Carson Williams to spring training.
	11/03/2023	SS Carson Williams assigned to American League Fall Stars.
	11/03/2023	American League Fall Stars activated SS Carson Williams.
	09/22/2023	Peoria Javelinas activated SS Carson Williams.
	09/12/2023	SS Carson Williams assigned to Montgomery Biscuits from Bowling Green Hot Rods.
	09/12/2023	Montgomery Biscuits activated SS Carson Williams.
	08/22/2023	SS Carson Williams assigned to Bowling Green Hot Rods from Durham Bulls.
	08/15/2023	SS Carson Williams assigned to Durham Bulls from Bowling Green Hot Rods.
	04/04/2023	SS Carson Williams and assigned to Bowling Green Hot Rods from Charleston RiverDogs.
	03/16/2023	SS Carson Williams and assigned to Tampa Bay Rays.
	04/07/2022	SS Carson Williams assigned to Charleston RiverDogs from FCL Rays.
	08/25/2021	SS Carson Williams assigned to FCL Rays.
	07/20/2021	Tampa Bay Rays signed SS Carson Williams.
	07/02/2021	SS Carson Williams and assigned to College Workout.