Cal Commit Carson Williams Taken in First Round of MLB Draft
Cal’s baseball team may have lost its top incoming freshman.
Carson Williams, a shortstop and pitcher at Torrey Pines High School in San Diego, signed a letter of intent last December to play baseball at Cal starting this fall.
But on Sunday, Williams was selected in the first round of the Major League Baseball draft, taken with the 28th overall pick by the Tampa Bay Rays.
Williams has until August 1 to sign with the Rays, and if he does not do so he would enroll in Cal in the fall and play at least three baseball seasons with the Golden Bears.
However, first-round draft picks almost always sign a pro contract. All 160 players selected in last year’s five-round draft agreed to pro contracts.
A player selected in Williams’ slot (No. 28) is expected to earn about $2.5 million in a signing bonus.
However, the ESPN assessment of Williams said this: "His strong commitment to Cal might mean an above-slot bonus is needed to get him to sign."
That suggests there may be hope that Williams will buck the trend and enroll at Cal.
But he did not sound like a person planning to attend college in his reaction to being drafted by the Rays:
“I was ecstatic," he said according to the Rays website. "Just couldn't be more happy with their decision to take me. I love the organization, love the way they run things and love all the guys in the system. I mean, I couldn't be more happy.”
--Click here for all the first-round draft picks--
Williams is expected to be a shortstop on the pro level, although some believe he has pro potential as a pitcher as well. That combination would fit in nicely at Cal.
The MLB.com report on Williams after he was drafted said this:
Forgive me if this sounds like a broken record, but here's another high school shortstop who had some late helium that carried him into the first round. Williams can really, really defend, boasting one of the best arms in the class, and he can definitely stay at shortstop. There is offensive upside with some bat speed and loft in his swing, and he should grow into some more power. The Rays are among the best at developing young hitters, so Williams may have found the perfect home.
Click here for a video and audio assessment of Williams from MLB.com
Here is what MLB.com said in its scouting report on Williams:
Carson Williams is fairly polished for a high schooler in all facets of the game. He hits for power now, and while some scouts have expressed concern about his lack of success against premier pitching, he does have some offensive upside with good bat speed and some natural pop to his swing. He’s going to add strength to his 6-foot-2-inch frame and grow into more extra-base authority in the future. An average to a tick-above runner, Williams has an easily plus-arm and excellent actions and instincts at shortstop. That arm regularly fires 95 miles per hour on the mound, and there are evaluators who prefer him that way. The California recruit prefers to be a position player, however.
Here is what ESPN said about the Rays' selection of Williams:
Who is Williams? A two-way prospect entering the season, Williams added 10-15 pounds and started showing much more power and moving up draft boards as a position player. With several light-tower blasts this spring, he's more power over hit at this point, and some scouts are skeptical that his grooved swing will play at upper levels. With his arm strength, he might eventually move to third base, and his strong commitment to Cal might mean an above-slot bonus is needed to get him to sign.
Why the Rays took him here: Another high school shortstop in a first round full of them, Williams seems destined for a position-player future whether that's at shortstop or after a move to third base in pro ball. Given the number of middle-diamond prospects in the Rays' stacked future, that shouldn't be much of a concern as long as the power Williams showed this spring continues to tick up.
The second day of the draft on Monday will include rounds two through 10, and the final 10 rounds of the 20-round draft will be held Tuesday. Several current Cal players are expected to be drafted in the next two days.
Click here for more information on Williams and Cal players expected to be taken in the MLB draft.
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Follow Jake Curtis of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jakecurtis53
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