Carson Williams

Williams has the power and speed to notch 25/25 seasons at some point in his 20s. His 30-grade hit tool is the only non-plus tool in his arsenal, but it's bad enough that it could affect Williams' playing time in 2026. While Williams hit just .172 with a 41.5 percent strikeout rate in 106 plate appearances in the majors, he also got off to a rocky start at Triple-A in 2025. He had an .893 OPS and 32.6 percent strikeout rate over his final 47 games at Triple-A after logging a .673 OPS and 35.2 percent strikeout rate in his first 64 games. Williams still struck out too much over that strong stretch, but he also doesn't turn 23 until the middle of the 2026 season. His struggles are due more to poor contact rates and elevated swinging-strike rates rather than consistently bad swing decisions. He should be better in his second tour of the majors, but Williams will still likely hit below .240 this year, even in a best-case scenario. It seems that the Rays have organized the roster so that Williams will have a chance to earn regular playing time, with Taylor Walls ready to soak up as many starts at shortstop as needed if Williams needs more refinement at Triple-A or just needs a day off. Read Past Outlooks