In this year’s MLB Draft, the Arizona State University infielder that many have set their eyes on is first basemen Spencer Torkelson, who could be the first first basemen taken number one overall since Adrian Gonzalez. However, the next key piece in a loaded Sun Devil infield, that could have three first-round picks, was shortstop Alika Williams. Williams attended Rancho Bernardo High School where he was drafted in the 32nd round of the 2017 MLB Draft by the New York Yankees.
In high school, Williams played at a baseball powerhouse in California where he hit .374 in his career, while posting a 3.92 GPA in the classroom. Williams opted not to sign with the Yankees, and played at Arizona State for three years. After an excellent sophomore season, where Williams batted .333 with more walks than strikeouts, Williams played for the Team USA Collegiate National Team in the Summer of 2019. Continuing his excellence for Team USA, William was second on the team with a .545 slugging percentage.
Williams is six feet, two inches tall, and weighs a slender 180 pounds. He is currently the 40th best prospect in the 2020 MLB Draft according to MLB.com. Williams is looking to build upon his .333/.430/.471 sophomore year line with additional power on the next level.
Strengths
In terms of pure hitting and approach at the plate, Williams is one of the best in this draft class. Over his three-year career at Arizona State, Williams hit an even .300, while posting a .383 OBP. Maybe most impressive for Williams is the fact that he makes contact at a clip that is higher than most other college players. Williams had 55 walks in college, while only striking out 49 times.
Although Williams only had five home runs over his career at Arizona State, Williams had 21 doubles and five triples. With above-average speed, Williams could project to be a staple at the top of the lineup with his ability to get on base.
On the defensive side, scouts have noted that Williams has a quick-first step and has the arm strength to make all the throws to play shortstop. Williams also possesses solid range that can allow him to continue at shortstop as he makes the next step to the big leagues. In 2019, Williams was on the Pac-12 All-Defensive team.
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 You can't spell U-S-A without A-S-U 😈😈😈
Congratulations to @Alika_Williams as he becomes the 3️⃣5️⃣th Sun Devil to don the Red, White and Blue with his selection to the 2019 @USABaseballCNT! pic.twitter.com/L1UQdff5EY
— Sun Devil Baseball (@ASU_Baseball) June 25, 2019
Weaknesses
Although Williams puts the ball in play at a high-rate, Williams’ biggest weakness at the next level is his power. In three years (including one abbreviated season), Williams only hit five home runs in 549 plate appearances. This translates to a lowly .100 ISO for Williams. However, if Williams can grow into his frame, he could turn some of the gap power to home run power.
Given Williams’ above-average speed, many expected that this would translate into stolen bases. However, at Arizona State, Williams only stole 15 bases in 25 attempts. With the lack of power, adding a threat on the bases would help his skill set at the next level.
Another key point for Williams to improve is consistency. In the short 2020 season, Williams had a .344 SLG in only 17 games with only two extra-base hits. In addition to this, Williams had one season of above-average production in college at the plate, 2019. At the next level, Alika Williams must replicate, or come near his 2019 production.
MLB Comparison
Given his above-average athletic profile, and gap power, Alika Williams compares to a younger Trea Turner. Although Turner developed his power at the major league level, Turner only had 15 home runs in his college career. Both players have similar strides at the plate, which could bode well for Williams given his contact-rate. Physically, both are also similar players as Turner is 6’1, and 185 pounds. Williams should reach that weight in a MiLB strength program. Williams does not have the speed of Turner, but both are comparable defensively and in their agility
Alika Williams is an intriguing draft prospect as he presents a unique skillset given his contact-rate in the launch angle era. Although power is emphasized at the MLB level, the approach of Williams at the plate could pay dividends at the top of the lineup for whomever drafts him. Williams could sneak into the late first round and could be a solid MLB starter at a premier position for years to come.
Main Photo: Embed from Getty Images
