Minor League Baseball

Tampa Bay Rays' Carson Williams Talks Smack After Dominating Spring Breakout Game

Carson Williams made sure to match Marcelo Mayer's home run in the Spring Breakout game between the Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox on Thursday night.
Sam Connon|
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.
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

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Tampa Bay RaysBoston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox's top-three prospects took full advantage of the spotlight Thursday night, but it was the Tampa Bay Rays who got the last laugh.

The two AL East foes were facing off in the first Spring Breakout game of 2025, pitting the organizations' top prospects against each other in prime time. Boston's "Big 3" of Kristian Campbell, Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony all went yard in the showcase, promising a bright future for their club.

Once Mayer's homer made it a 3-0 ballgame, though, Rays shortstop Carson Williams was ready to answer.

"We talked about it, (Mayer) said he had more pop than me," Williams said after the game. "He hit the homer, I had to back it up."

Williams did just that, starting when he drove in Tampa Bay's first run on a groundout in the third. That provided a spark for the Rays' offense, as they scored five runs over the next two frames alone.

Up one in the bottom of the eighth, Williams provided some much-needed insurance via a solo home run to left-center.

Williams finished the night 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a walk. The Rays held on to win 7-5.

The 21-year-old enters 2025 ranked as the No. 9 prospect and No. 1 shortstop prospect in baseball. Mayer ranks No. 12 overall and No. 3 at the position.

Williams and Mayer – who both hail from the San Diego area – weren't the only ones to reconnect at Spring Breakout, either.

Campbell and Rays outfielder Chandler Simpson were teammates at Georgia Tech before they turned pro, and now they are both on the verge of breaking into the big leagues. The two swapped jerseys after the game, giving them each souvenirs to go home with.

Anthony, Campbell, Mayer, Williams and Simpson are all expected to make their MLB debuts in 2025. Barring blockbuster trades that would send them elsewhere, they should remain plenty familiar with each other going head-to-head in the same division for the foreseeable future.

Related MiLB Stories

  • TIGERS SHED TOP PROSPECTS: Catcher Thayron Liranzo and infielder Hao-Yu Lee have been cut loose from Detroit's major league spring training camp. CLICK HERE
  • ROMO, AMADOR REASSIGNED: The Rockies optioned top prospects Drew Romo and Adael Amador to Triple-A on Wednesday, taking them out of the running for Opening Day roster spots. CLICK HERE
  • SMITH TRYING OUT RF: The Astros don't have a clear opening at third base, so top prospect Cam Smtih will instead get looks in right field in spring training. CLICK HERE

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Sam Connon
SAM CONNON

Sam Connon is a staff writer for “Minor League Baseball on SI’’ and other "On SI'' baseball sites. He previously covered UCLA Athletics for “UCLA on SI’’ and won awards from the College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Connon also wrote for “New England Patriots on SI’’ and was on the Patriots and Boston Red Sox beats at Prime Time Sports Talk. Follow Sam on Twitter @SamConnon.

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