Tampa Bay Rays' Carson Williams Named Best Shortstop Prospect in Baseball

The hype around Carson Williams continues to build, with the Tampa Bay Rays' potential shortstop of the future earning some major praise entering 2025.

Mar 12, 2024; Sarasota, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays infielder Carson Williams (80) talks with manager Kevin Cash (16) before the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium. | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

For all the young talent the Tampa Bay Rays have waiting in the wings, Carson Williams enters 2025 with the most hype.

In the leadup to their fully-updated rankings across the league, MLB.com is revealing their top 10 prospects at each position. MLB Pipeline writer Jim Callis broke down the shortstops on Tuesday, slotting Williams in at the top of his list.

Williams was ranked just above the Arizona Diamondbacks' Jordan Lawlar and the Boston Red Sox's Marcelo Mayer.

A quarter of the players on our upcoming Top 100 list are shortstops, the most ever.

Here's the 2025 Top 10 SS Prospects list: https://t.co/FYeHhC33bg pic.twitter.com/ZwSslXDBie

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) January 21, 2025

Tampa Bay's 2021 first round pick was already ranked as the No. 1 shortstop prospect in baseball at the end of 2024, coming in at No. 4 overall.

The 21-year-old spent all of last season in Double-A, batting .256 with 20 home runs, 20 doubles, six triples, 69 RBI, 33 stolen bases and an .821 OPS. For his minor league career, Williams has averaged 28 home runs, 31 doubles, 11 triples, 104 RBI and 38 stolen bases per 162 games, all while batting .256 with an .831 OPS.

MLB Pipeline has Williams' arm and field tools graded at 70 and 65, respectively. His power earned a 60, his run earned a 55 and his hit earned a 45.

In a poll MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo conducted with anonymous executives and scouts earlier this winter, Williams was voted as the best defensive prospect in baseball.

Williams is expected to make his MLB debut in 2025, putting Taylor Walls' status as the Rays' starting shortstop at risk. Walls is also a defensive specialist, but he is a .188 hitter with a .580 OPS for his career.

Tampa Bay also has the No. 4 third base prospect in baseball in Brayden Taylor, plus two top-five first base prospects in Xavier Isaac and Tre' Morgan. Adding in 21-year-old Junior Caminero – a former top prospect himself – and the Rays' infield of the future could be among the best in baseball.

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