How was he acquired?
A product of East Carolina University, Williams was chosen by Atlanta with a compensatory pick after the 4th round, using the 136th overall pick to take the middle infielder. Williams received
a signing bonus of $497,500 — which was slightly underslot for the draft position.
What were the 2025 expectations?
Like his fellow 2025 draftees, the expectations for Williams getting his first taste of professional ball were relatively low. Basically, the organization simply wanted to get a look at him as best they could in a relatively short window.
However, Williams went above and beyond, putting together arguably one of the best performances among the Braves draftees this year.
2025 results
While it was a small sample size, Williams made the most of the start to his professional career.
In 28 games — 114 plate appearances — with low-A Augusta, Williams posted an OPS of .857 to go along with a pair of homers, three triples and six doubles. He also drove in 13 batters as well.
Coming out of the draft, Williams was lauded for his advanced feel offensively. However, he did strike out 35 times compared to just 16 walks in those 114 plate appearances, as he tended to be a little over-aggressive at times.
While he may have been a half-year older on average than the low-A competition he was facing, it was an encouraging sign for Williams and the Braves, who look like they may have gotten a relative steal in the fourth round.
2026 expectations
After getting a little taste of pro ball at low-A, there’s no reason to send Williams back to Augusta where he dominated in his brief stint there. It stands to reason that Williams will head to high-A Rome to begin the season.
It may be a longshot, but if Williams can post similar numbers to what he did in Augusta, there’s a very good chance we could see him in a Columbus Clingstones uniform by the end of the season. Even if he only spends the entire year at Rome, simply replicating the offense he had with Augusta in 2025 should be considered a win in his book.
