Carson Williams is a high-profile prospect in a fertile Tampa Bay Rays farm system. Drafted twenty eighth general in 2021 out of San Diego’s Torrey Pines High School, the 20-year-old shortstop is No. 20 in MLB Pipeline’s recently-released Top 100, and he may even rank prominently when our personal checklist comes out subsequent month. His 2023 manufacturing offered ample proof of his plus instruments. Playing primarily at High-A Bowling Green, and with cups of espresso on the Double-A and Triple-A ranges, Williams walloped 23 house runs whereas placing up a 130 wRC+.

Erik Neander was effusive in his reward when giving a synopsis of the younger infielder throughout November’s GM Meetings.

“Incredible physical potential in all aspects of the game, both sides of the ball,” Tampa Bay’s President of Baseball Operations advised me. “And someone who is made to do this, mentally and emotionally. He handles it well. It’s pretty close to a total package in terms of his potential and the ingredients you like to see at such a young age.”

Fittingly, Williams got here off as each humble and self-aware after I spoke to him late within the Arizona Fall League season. Asked the place he's in his growth, he replied that he was “right in the middle of it,” including that “the minor leagues are a tough road” and he's “going through all of the normal things that a kid out of high school has to.” One of them, as he readily admits, is the problem of competing in opposition to skilled pitchers who possess bat-missing repertoires. If a pink flag exists inside his prospect profile, it might be the 31.4% strikeout price on final 12 months’s ledger.

“I’m working on my contact rate,” acknowledged Williams.“I’m not worried about the exit velos, the launch angles, or anything like that. My swing is powerful, so when I put the ball in play it is usually coming out hot. Right now, my focus is on putting the ball in play. The more I put the ball in play, the better hitter I will be.”

He might have been a pitcher. Many scouts most well-liked him on the mound, and there are those that imagine he might even succeed as a two-way participant. I broached that topic with Tampa Bay’s high govt.

“That would be a better question for him,” mentioned Neander. “It was something where he certainly had a lot of talent on the mound, but ultimately there was a desire for him to have the opportunity to play shortstop and be an every-day player.”

Was it Williams’s want to settle solely on quick, thereby forgoing pitching?

“That was our opinion of where he was better, and it seemed to align well with where his interests were,” was Neander’s reply to that query. “We had him evaluated stronger on that side of the ball, and it’s why we took him. He signed, and we couldn’t be more pleased with his development.”

Williams demurred after I requested for his personal ideas on the topic.

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RANDOM HITTER-PITCHER MATCHUPS

Danny Taylor went 14 for 62 in opposition to Bill Swift.

Reggie Jackson went 6 for 15 in opposition to LaMarr Hoyt.

David Justice went 3 for 28 in opposition to Ken Hill.

Jerry Goff went 1 for six in opposition to John Smoltz.

Ron Kittle went 0 for 3 in opposition to Jeff Montgomery.

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I ran a ballot this week asking which of two theoretical middle-infield mixtures folks would like, Lou Whitaker–Jimmy Rollins or Chase Utley–Alan Trammell. The outcomes have been comparatively one-sided, with the latter pair garnering a hefty 77.7% of the votes solid.

The ballot was a thought experiment greater than something, so there isn't any actual motive to debate the outcomes. That mentioned, listed here are a smattering of their mixed numbers:

Whitaker-Rollins: 4,824 hits, 475 house runs, 613 stolen bases, 117.7 WAR.Utley-Trammell: 4,250 hits, 444 house runs, 390 stolen bases, 125.3 WAR.

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A quiz:

Who holds the MLB document for many video games performed as a primary baseman?

The reply could be discovered beneath.

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NEWS NOTES

Terry Ryan and Rick Stelmaszek have been elected to the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame. Ryan served because the staff’s basic supervisor from 1994-2007 and once more from 2011-2016. Stelmaszek, who died of most cancers in 2017, was a member of the membership’s teaching employees for 32 consecutive seasons starting in 1980.

Ryan Braun has been elected to the The Milwaukee Brewers Walk of Fame. Braun spent his whole 14-year profession with the Brewers, bashing a franchise-best 352 house runs and logging a 135 wRC+ from 2017-2020. His résumé additionally contains six All-Star berths, a Rookie of Year award, and a National League MVP award.

The Miami Marlins are reportedly hiring Brandon Mann as a pitching strategist. An erstwhile MLB and NPB southpaw who has labored as an teacher at Driveline, Mann was featured right here at FanGraphs in June 2020.

Ballpark Digest has chosen Alex Cohen as their 2023 Broadcaster of the Year. A visitor on FanGraphs Audio again in August 2021, Cohen calls video games for the Iowa Cubs, the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs.

The Visalia Rawhide (Low-A, Arizona Diamondbacks) have employed Joey Gonzales as their new play-by-play broadcaster. An intern in 2023, the Texas State University alum replaces Jill Gearin, who will now be calling video games for the Atlantic League’s Charleston Dirty Birds.

Steve Staggs, an infielder who performed with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1977 and for the Oakland Athletics in 1978, died final Sunday at age 72 (per Baseball Player Passings). One of a dozen Alaska-born gamers in MLB historical past, the Anchorage native logged 94 profession hits, the primary of them a house runs in his big-league debut.

Red Swanson, a right-handed pitcher who appeared in 42 video games for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1955-1957, died this week at age 87. A bonus child, Swanson made his big-league debut when he was 18 and threw his final big-league pitch three weeks earlier than his twenty first birthday. His profession log features a 3-3 document and a 4.90 ERA.

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The reply to the quiz is Eddie Murray, who performed in 2,513 video games as a primary baseman.

A associated Murray be aware: The Hall of Famer began three big-league video games as a 3rd baseman, all with the Baltimore Orioles to open the 1978 season, and with Lee May stationed at first. The Orioles have been outscored 40-11 whereas being swept by the Milwaukee Brewers within the season-opening set.

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Bill James revealed on Friday that he not too long ago suffered a stroke. Per his social media message, the famend author/statistician/historian is “more or less OK,” with numbness in his proper hand seemingly the first difficulty. Needless to say, the whole world needs him the most effective in his restoration.

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A random obscure former participant snapshot:

Bibb Falk — his given title was Bibb August Falk — batted .314 whereas taking part in for the Chicago White Sox from 1920-1928 and the Cleveland Indians from 1929-1932. Born in Austin, Texas on January 27, 1899, the left-handed-hitting outfielder had his finest season in 1926 when he slashed .345/.415/.477 with a 134 wRC+ and a profession excessive 195 hits. He went on to be the pinnacle baseball coach on the University of Texas from 1940-1967.

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FOREIGN AFFAIRS

Hiroki Kuroda and Motonobu Tanishige have been introduced final week as the latest members of the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame. Kuroda gained 124 video games over 13 seasons with NPB’s Hiroshima Carp, and 79 video games over seven seasons pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees. Tanishige, who caught for Yokohama and Chunichi in a profession that spanned the 1989-2015 seasons, performed in 3,021 video games, probably the most in Japanese historical past.

The Perth Heat and Adelaide Giants superior to the Australian Baseball League championship sequence earlier at the moment, with every profitable the deciding recreation of a best-of-three semi-final matchup. Adelaide edged previous the Melbourne Aces 2-1, whereas the Heat beat the Brisbane Bandits 5-4. The finals — starting subsequent Friday — will likely be a repeat of final 12 months, which noticed the Giants come out on high.

The Kia Tigers have suspended supervisor Kim Jong-kook, who's being investigated for bribery prices (hyperlink to story right here). The KBO membership’s basic supervisor had been fired a 12 months in the past on account of related improprieties.

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MLB NOW not too long ago offered an inventory of the Top 10 left fielders not within the Hall of Fame, this per the opinion of Bob Costas. I’m on board with the majority of the alternatives, with one notable exception. Costas included Kirk Gibson, who began simply 456 video games at that place over the course of his profession. Moreover, Gibson isn’t even the most effective non-Hall of Fame Detroit Tiger to have performed left area with any regularity. No offense to Gibson, however he logged 1,553 hits, 2,686 whole bases, a 123 wRC+, and 35.9 WAR. Bobby Veach, who began 1,653 video games as a left fielder, logged 2,063 hits, 2,942 whole bases, a 124 wRC+, and 43.8 WAR. Gibson has postseason heroics on his facet, however that's largely circumstantial. Veach’s October résumé contains simply two plate appearances, each at age 37 in his remaining season.

Veach performed from 1912-1925, all however the final two years in a Detroit uniform, and to say that he was overshadowed by teammates can be an understatement. Ty Cobb, Sam Crawford, and Harry Heilmann have been all Tigers throughout his tenure, and every has a plaque hanging in Cooperstown. Veach wasn’t their equal, however that doesn’t imply he isn’t one in every of ten finest left fielders not within the Hall of Fame. Even if he isn’t, he has higher credentials than Gibson.

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LINKS YOU’LL LIKE

Pitcher List’s Nate Kosher checked out eight gamers who belong within the Hall of Fame.

The Cleveland Guardians 2024 house opener, on April 8, will happen amid a complete photo voltaic eclipse. Zack Meisel wrote about it at The Athletic (subscription required).

Carter Stewart is ready to start his sixth season pitching in Japan, this after signing with the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks reasonably than with the Atlanta Braves, who’d drafted him eighth-overall out of a Florida highschool in 2018. Jim Allen talked to the 24-year-old right-hander for The Kyodo News.

Roki Sasaki re-signed with NPB’s Chiba Lotte Marines this week, however just for one 12 months as he hopes to take his immense expertise to MLB. Thomas Harrigan has the story at MLB.com.

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RANDOM FACTS AND STATS

Brandon Marsh has a .384 BABIP, the best amongst lively gamers with at the very least 1,000 profession plate appearances. Bo Bichette has a .349 BABIP, the best amongst lively gamers with at the very least 2,000 profession plate appearances.

Joe Mauer performed in 1,858 video games and had a .306 batting common and a 123 wRC. Ernie Lombardi performed in 1,853 video games and had a .306 batting common and a 125 wRC. They are the one two catchers in MLB historical past with a number of batting titles.

Anthony Rizzo has 6,961 plate appearances, a .364 OBP, and a 128 wRC+.Bob Watson had 6,962 plate appearances, a .364 OBP, and a 128 wRC+.

Félix Hernández pitched in 419 video games and went 169-136 with a 117 ERA+.Kevin Appier pitched in 414 video games and went 169-137 with a 121 ERA+.

Hall of Fame southpaw Warren Spahn had eight 21-win seasons. He additionally had two 22-win seasons, two 23-win seasons, and one 20-win season.

Wilbur Wood had 138 wins and 53 saves from 1968-1975. The left-handed knuckleballer tossed 22 shutouts over that eight-season stretch.

The San Francisco Giants signed Dan Quisenberry as a free agent on at the moment’s date in 1990. The once-great nearer went on to take the mound simply 5 instances for the Giants, logging a 13.50 ERA in his remaining big-league season.

On at the moment’s date in 1982, the California Angels acquired Doug DeCinces and Jeff Schneider from the Baltimore Orioles in trade for Disco Dan Ford. DeCinces went on to depart the yard 30 instances whereas logging a 147 wRC+ in his first season on the West Coast. All advised, he homered 130 instances in six seasons as an Angel.

Players born on at the moment’s date embody Emil Yde, a left-handed pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1924-1927 and for the Detroit Tigers in 1929. The Great Lakes, Illinois native went 16-3 with a 2.83 ERA in his rookie season, adopted by a 17-9 document for a staff that went on to win the 1925 World Series in seven video games over Walter Johnson’s Washington Nationals.

Also born on at the moment’s date was Pete Runnels, a left-handed-hitting infielder who captured American League batting titles with the Boston Red Sox in 1960 and 1962. A profession .291 hitter over 14 big-league seasons, Runnels went 0-10 in stolen base makes an attempt with the Washington Nationals in 1952, 5 years earlier than the staff was rebranded the Senators in 1957.

Content Source: blogs.fangraphs.com