Alika Williams

Alexander David Williams

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 180 lb.
• School Arizona State University
• High School Rancho Bernardo High School
• Debut July 25, 2023

• Born March 12, 1999 in San Diego, CA USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Infielder Alika Williams was drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in Competitive Balance Round A of the 2020 amateur draft, out of Arizona State University. The pick was the 37th overall and had been obtained by the Rays from the St. Louis Cardinals in an earlier trade for José Martínez and Randy Arozarena, among others. He was the last pick of the supplemental first round. He had been the regular shortstop in his three seasons at Arizona State, including hitting .333 with 54 runs and 53 RBIs in 57 games in 2019 - his last full season given the 2020 season ended after 17 games due to the COVID-19 pandemic. His teammate Spencer Torkelson had been selected first overall in the 2020 draft. In the 2017 amateur draft, he had been taken by the New York Yankees in the 32nd round but decided to go on to college.

In his first professional season in 2021, he appeared for three different teams, including four games in AAA with the Durham Bulls, although his primary assignment was in Low-A with the Charleston RiverDogs. In 73 games, he hit .267/.312/.375, scored 50 runs and drove in 46. In 2022, his main assignment was with the Bowling Green Hot Rods of the South Atlantic League - for whom he had also appeared the previous season - as well as the AA Montgomery Biscuits and Durham, the latter two for 6 games each. His slash line was .249/.353/.377 in 96 games, with 12 doubles, 10 homers, 61 runs and 62 RBIs.

On June 2, 2023, he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in return for P Robert Stephenson. He had started the season in AA with Montgomery, hitting .237 in 42 games before the trade. The Pirates promoted him to the AAA Indianapolis Indians where he hit .305 in 36 games, with 8 doubles and 7 homers for a slugging percentage of .531. That earned him a call-up to the Steel City, although his big league debut came in his hometown of San Diego against the San Diego Padres on July 25th. He came in as a defensive replacement at SS for pinch-hitter Ji-Man Choi in the bottom of the 7th, then in his first plate appearance in the 9th, drew a walk against closer Josh Hader but was stranded at first base.

He was born in the same city and went to the same high school and college as major league pitcher Trevor Williams, but the two are unrelated.

Related Sites

• Alika Williams on mlb.com
• BR Minors page
• Arizona State University bio