Alika Williams

Williams will likely be the highest drafted Arizona State shortstop since Deven Marrero went in the first round in 2012. While Williams has gotten some first-round buzz thanks to his defensive prowess, most believe he fits better in the second round. Williams is at least an above-average defensive shortstop, earning plus grades from some evaluators. He has sure hands and excellent first-step quickness that consistently puts him in good fielding position. His solid-average arm plays up because of his strong footwork and quick exchange. Williams controls the strike zone well, walking more than he struck out during his college career, and his hands work well at the plate. He was miscast as a cleanup hitter during parts of his Sun Devil career, with observers believing he was pulling too many balls in the air instead of focusing on making line-drive contact gap to gap, his strength. He makes contact, rarely strikes out and has room to add strength. Regardless of his bat, he’s a glove-first shortstop who can stay at the position throughout his career. He’s no more than an average runner with good instincts on the bases, but speed will never be a big part of his game. Williams wisely chose not to sign when the Yankees took him in the 32nd round in 2017 out of Rancho Bernardo (Calif.) High. He should get selected high enough in 2020 to start his pro career.