Scouting Report

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 45 | Run: 60 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 50 

At 5-foot-8, Williams might be the smallest player on our Draft Top 250, but he's also a favorite gut-feel guy for a lot of scouts. One crosschecker called him the best hitter on the summer showcase circuit, where he raked despite an injury to his right shoulder. The Mississippi State recruit could factor into the middle of the first round, especially to a club that thinks he can stay at shortstop. 

With quick hands, feel for the barrel and a quality right-handed stroke, Williams rarely swings and misses and makes line-drive contact with ease. He has no problem handling premium velocity or quality breaking pitches, and his size belies his power. He should produce at least 15 homers per year with his bat speed and deceptive strength, perhaps more if he gets more aggressive about pulling pitches. 

Williams has at least plus speed and knows how to use his quickness on the bases and in the field. He has the hands and actions for shortstop, but he didn't throw well during the summer when his shoulder was bothering him. Some evaluators believe he has solid arm strength when healthy and can stay at short, while others think his arm is more fringy to average and he'll wind up at second base or center field.

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 45 | Run: 60 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 55

The Mets used their two top-14 picks in 2022 on Georgia Tech catcher Kevin Parada and Texas prep shortstop Williams, and so far, it’s the latter that’s enjoyed more success in pro ball. Williams pushed through three levels in 2023, reaching as high as Double-A Binghamton, and led Mets full-season Minor Leaguers with his .425 OBP, .876 OPS, eight triples, 81 runs scored and 45 steals. His 104 walks not only topped the organization but also finished second among all Minor Leaguers.

As expected for someone with those numbers, Williams rarely expands the strike zone, sometimes at the risk of seeing too many offerings in an at-bat. Starting with a leg kick, he has a swing grooved for elevation when he does decide to let it loose, and during his stops at Single-A St. Lucie and High-A Brooklyn, he produced more flyballs than groundballs. There still isn’t a ton of raw power in his 5-foot-6 frame, but he does a good job of squeezing out homers from what he has. That could increase as he matures as well.

The former Mississippi State commit is a plus runner and stayed aggressive on the basepaths at every stop he made in 2023. He has the right actions and hands for shortstop, but the Mets sprinkled in looks in center field too to give him even more room to use his athleticism. Considering Francisco Lindor’s presence in Queens, that need for versatility will increase and could even lead to looks at second base as Williams hits (and walks) his way toward the Majors. That progress was put on pause midway through 2024. Williams underwent right wrist surgery in early June and didn't return to Minor League play until late August.

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 45 | Run: 60 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 55

The Mets had two top-14 picks in the 2022 Draft and used the first (11th overall) on a potential quick mover in Georgia Tech catcher Kevin Parada and the second (14th overall) on a more long-term project with as much upside in Texas high-school shortstop Williams, who signed below slot at $3.9 million. While Parada pops in his own way, the Williams selection had some scouts and evaluators abuzz after he showed one of the best hit tools on the showcase circuit, and he continued hitting in a brief Florida Complex League stay in which he posted an .804 OPS in 10 games.

Standing at just 5-foot-6, Williams has continued to impress Mets officials with his ability to find the barrel consistently and swing at good pitches to hit. Those skills -- combined with his capacity to handle velocity -- should translate well to each stop up the ladder as he enters full-season ball at 19 years old. Thanks to bat speed and a leg kick that helps with lift on contact, the Dallas-area native has a little more power than his size alone indicates and might settle into 12-15 homers annually.

A plus runner, Williams is athletic enough to track down balls at shortstop but is still raw defensively, relying more on his athleticism than instincts. The Mets believe that will change as he gets more access to the pro ranks, but even if he needs to move to second base or center field, he can still be a quality up-the-middle talent whose value lies in his bat.

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 45 | Run: 60 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 50 

At 5-foot-8, Williams might have been the smallest player in MLB Pipeline’s Draft Top 250, but he's also a favorite gut-feel guy for a lot of scouts. One crosschecker called him the best hitter on the summer showcase circuit, where he raked despite an injury to his right shoulder. The Mets grabbed Williams with the 14th overall pick and signed him for below slot at $3.9 million.

With quick hands, feel for the barrel and a quality right-handed stroke, Williams rarely swings and misses and makes line-drive contact with ease. He has no problem handling premium velocity or quality breaking pitches, and his size belies his power. He should produce at least 15 homers per year with his bat speed and deceptive strength, perhaps more if he gets more aggressive about pulling pitches. 

Williams has at least plus speed and knows how to use his quickness on the bases and in the field. He has the hands and actions for shortstop, but he didn't throw well during the summer when his shoulder was bothering him. Some evaluators believe he has solid arm strength when healthy and can stay at short, while others think his arm is more fringy-to-average and he'll wind up at second base or center field.

Awards

MiLB.com Organization All-Star

Year	Team
2023

MiLB Awards All-MiLB Prospect Second Team

Year	Team
2023

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	11/08/2024	National League Fall Stars activated SS Jett Williams.
	09/25/2024	SS Jett Williams assigned to Scottsdale Scorpions.
	09/17/2024	SS Jett Williams assigned to Syracuse Mets from Binghamton Rumble Ponies.
	08/30/2024	Binghamton Rumble Ponies activated SS Jett Williams from the 60-day injured list.
	08/30/2024	Binghamton Rumble Ponies activated SS Jett Williams from the 60-day injured list.
	08/21/2024	Binghamton Rumble Ponies sent SS Jett Williams on a rehab assignment to St. Lucie Mets.
	08/06/2024	Binghamton Rumble Ponies transferred SS Jett Williams from the 7-day injured list to the 60-day injured list.
	08/06/2024	Binghamton Rumble Ponies transferred SS Jett Williams from the 7-day injured list to the 60-day injured list.
	04/29/2024	Binghamton Rumble Ponies placed SS Jett Williams on the 7-day injured list.
	03/07/2024	New York Mets Prospects activated SS Jett Williams.
	02/01/2024	New York Mets invited non-roster SS Jett Williams to spring training.
	09/11/2023	SS Jett Williams assigned to Binghamton Rumble Ponies from Brooklyn Cyclones.
	07/31/2023	SS Jett Williams assigned to Brooklyn Cyclones from St. Lucie Mets.
	04/03/2023	SS Jett Williams assigned to St. Lucie Mets from FCL Mets.
	03/10/2023	SS Jett Williams and assigned to New York Mets.
	08/08/2022	SS Jett Williams assigned to FCL Mets.
	07/22/2022	New York Mets signed SS Jett Williams.
	06/01/2022	SS Jett Williams and assigned to College Workout.
	07/13/2021	PG National 8 - Purple activated SS Jett Williams.