Tampa, Florida – The Tampa Bay Rays have called up their promising shortstop, Carson Williams, ahead of the start of their series against the St. Louis Cardinals. The decision was made after Ha-Seong Kim was placed on the injured list due to recurring back problems.
Williams, who holds the number 24 position on the list of the top 100 prospects, according to specialized sources, arrived at George M. Steinbrenner Field shortly before the start of the game and was not included in the starting lineup. He is expected to see action in the upcoming games of the series. The 21-year-old was selected in the 28th position of the 2021 draft. Known for his solid defense and growing power at the plate, Williams won a MiLB Gold Glove in High-A in 2022. This season in Triple-A Durham, he batted .213 with an on-base percentage of .318 and a slugging percentage of .447. He has accumulated 23 home runs, 55 RBIs, and 22 stolen bases in 111 games. For the Rays, this promotion represents a step towards the future in a season that has had its challenges. Forced to play their home games at the Yankees’ spring training field due to damage caused by a hurricane at Tropicana Field, the team has faced injuries and inconsistent performance. Kim was assessed on Wednesday and is expected to be out of action for several days. Cash indicated that the team is optimistic and expects Kim’s stay on the injured list to be close to the minimum 10 days. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Rays transferred outfielder Stuart Fairchild to the 60-day injured list.I’m excited, no doubt. I give Carson a lot of credit. He had a great year last year, continued to make a name for himself, and after some difficulties at the beginning of the season, he’s really come through and done well lately for Durham.
Kevin Cash, Rays Manager
