Amid something of a lost season, the Tampa Bay Rays have accelerated the timeline of their best prospect.
When franchise favorite Taylor Walls – arguably the best defensive player in the entire MLB – was moved to the injured list earlier this month, and was later joined by Ha-Seong Kim – whose season has been almost entirely lost due to multiple injuries, of which only one was anticipated – the Rays suddenly had no one left at shortstop. Utility player Jose Caballero had been dealt the previous month to the New York Yankees (while in the middle of a game against them, no less), leaving only journeyman fill-in Tristan Gray able to play the position.
To that end, earlier this month, the Rays called up their top prospect, Carson Williams. And Williams has landed with a bang.
Williams’s In-Season Improvements
Williams was with the Rays’ Triple-A affiliate, the Durham Bulls, where he had rebounded after a difficult start.
The 22-year-old infielder always has high strike-out rates due to his long swing and aggressive approach in the box, but they were too high to begin 2025, striking out in as-near-as-is half of his at-bats across the first two months of season. Across the final three months, however, Williams had slowed down the K-rate and begun to crush the ball, posting a .944 OPS in the month of August prior to his call-up, along with good walk rates and plenty of power.
In his five games with the Rays so far, Williams has recorded six hits in nineteen at-bats, including two doubles and a home run, culminating in a .929 OPS. Williams, a five-tool player, has also lived up to the billing on the defensive end, looking sure-handed and exhibiting good range at the most important defensive position. (He already has one run saved.)
Along with Junior Caminero – who is on track to break Carlos Pena’s single-season franchise home run record of 46 – the Rays have assembled an extremely talented left side of the infield. With a combined age of 44, the duo have their entire careers ahead of them, while also being bright spots in the here and now.
Only Part Of The Solution
This does however only address one problem among many. A starting rotation that has not been as good as expected, a bullpen that fell apart mid-season, a drastic slump from first to fourth in the division and the resulting loss of playoff aspirations, and worse defense than usual, has seen what should have been a good Rays team in light of last season’s substantial reloading instead become a very average one.
Moreover, the Kim situation looms over the franchise going into next season. When they signed Kim to a two-year, $31 million contract last summer that included a $16 million option for 2026, the Rays knew they were signing an injured player who would miss the first half of the season. They did not however expect him to be this injured. And because of Kim’s lost season, it seems increasingly likely that he will exercise the option.
$16 million for a rental who plays the position of their best prospect is not something the Rays will want to do. And the best way to manage the assets and get the best value might be to send Williams back down again. This may in the end just be a flying visit to the majors.
Rays Find Something Worth Watching
Nonetheless, amid the tumult of a season in which they have had to move to a minor league park, saw plans for a new arena break down, had their former super shortstop prospect be convicted of a heinous crime, saw more selling-off at the trade deadline, saw the bullpen implode, have to contend with the looming uncertainty of a change in ownership, and been forced to deal with the disappointing regression of some of their young starters, the Rays and their fans needed something to root for. This is it.
The Williams and Caminero pairing has long been something to look forward to – and the wait is over. They are here, and they are good.
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