Mets prospect Jett Williams uses size and speed to set the tone

The New York Mets may have struck gold in the 2022 draft with speedy middle infielder/center fielder Jett Williams.

Feb 13, 2025; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets infielder Jett Williams (90) participates in Spring Training activities. | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

With the 14th pick of the 2022 MLB draft, the team's second of the first round, the New York Mets selected batter Jett Williams out of Rockwall-Heath High School in Heath, Texas. Just a little over two years later, he is the top-rated position player prospect for the organization.

It has been a rollercoaster ride of emotions for the speedster throughout his time as a professional. Listed at 5-foot-6, Williams sped his way through the Mets' system nearly as fast as he can steal bases. In just 131 games from being drafted in 2022 through the end of his first full season as a professional, Williams tallied 51 stolen bases.

Jett Williams draws a walk and steals second. I’ve seen this before
pic.twitter.com/cU9iMcsp7g

— Joe DeMayo (@PSLToFlushing) February 25, 2024

The prospect pairs his immense speed with an elite eye at the plate. Through 723 career plate appearances across the minor leagues, Williams has drawn an eye-popping 130 walks; that boils down to a 17.98 percent walk rate. He uses his small stature to his advantage, leaving a small target for opposing pitchers. For more context, Aaron Judge and Juan Soto had 18.9 and 18.1 percent walk rates in 2024, which were first and second in MLB, respectively.

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Unfortunately, Williams lost the majority of 2024 with a wrist injury, and it saw a decline in his production at the plate. After batting .263/.425/.451 across three levels of the minor leagues in 2023 in 121 games, the 21-year-old would bat just .215/.358/.298 last year, also across three levels but in only 33 games. A six-game stretch at Triple-A Syracuse, however, would be his best performance of the year, where Williams batted .364/.533/.546 in a small, 30 plate appearance sample size.

This year, Williams would see his third stint of action at Major League Spring Training. The prospect would accrue 15 plate appearances across seven games, batting .182/.400/.182 in that time. His eye would prove impressive yet again, drawing four walks to only three strikeouts.

Jett Williams rips a base hit pic.twitter.com/bkBBpitifj

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) February 25, 2025

While Williams is primarily listed as a shortstop, having Francisco Lindor on the roster creates a logjam at the position. Manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters in February that Williams would be getting more reps in center field this year, giving him more versatility and keeping him from being blocked in the minors.

Although Jose Siri is the team's current center fielder at the Major League level, he is serving as more of a stopgap to Williams than a permanent fixture. With the lineup the Mets currently have, any offensive production they garner out of Siri is merely a bonus, and it would not be surprising to see Williams filling the role at the Major League level before the end of 2025.

The move to center for Williams will prove beneficial for the team and his chances of sticking at the Major League level. Despite being primarily listed as a shortstop, the prospect has committed 32 errors at the position across 1,121.1 innings. Compare that with zero errors in center field and four outfield assists in only 274 innings, and you have the makings of a player destined to roam the grass with ease.

Williams has learned to use his strengths to the best of his ability, with his small strike zone proving to be a boon against opposing pitchers, steals coming with ease, and the range in center that will drive opposing batters crazy. He is an exciting prospect for the Mets and could make a lasting impact sooner rather than later.