Alika Williams - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 TB SS 25 40

Grades Update: Aug 2021
OFP Role Hit Power Field Arm Run
40 40 55 30 55 55 60

Aug 2021 Report

Evaluator: Jake Kerns

Age: 22 yr
Height: 6-2
Weight: 180 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2020 Round CBA
RuleV: 2023

Physical Description: Above-average height and skinny throughout. Lacks upper body strength, and has plenty of room to bulk up, but he's had pretty much the same body since high school, and this may just be who he is. He's a good athlete.

Hit: Stands crouched and open with his knees bent at the back of the box. Hands stay below his shoulders, where the bat rests until he loads. His weight moves backwards before stepping into the pitch. Takes a small-to-moderate leg lift as he loads and closes his stance, at which point he evenly distributes his weight. There's some noise in his hands, but he's pretty short to the ball on a level plane. It's a repeatable, contact oriented swing, with average bat speed, and he shows some good bat-to-ball skills and can get the ball in play with regularity. Shows an ability to use the whole field, but most of his hits are still to the pull-side. He has an average eye and can take a walk, but I've also watched him be a little too passive at the plate. Offspeed stuff can give him fits and he still needs some work on his pitch recognition, but he moves the bat up and down the zone well, and has shown an ability to make adjustments mid-swing to put the bat on the ball. He has above-average barrel control, and I think he's capable of hitting .270-.280, but it's probably an empty batting average when all is said and done. Grade: 55

Power: Below-to-fringe-average raw power to the pull-side that plays as well below-average during games. His level swing gets the ball in the air consistently, and he'll get one out on occasion, but his approach is not designed to necessarily drive the ball. I've watched him flare a lot of balls into the shallow parts of the outfield, and I think that's probably what his future holds. He lacks strength, and the little data I have available to me regarding exit velocities indicate he's below-average. Grade: 30

Field: Moves well laterally, but it's mostly average range for shortstop. He covers 2B well and can turn difficult double-plays because of his high IQ and defensive positioning. He has clean actions, including good hands and footwork, and he looks likely to stick at the position. Grade: 55

Arm: Strong arm that fits on the left side of the infield. It's above-average arm strength with plenty of carry. Often throws from a low sidearm slot when going across the diamond. Will bring his arm up to 3/4 slot when he's reaching back for something more. Accurate in limited looks. Grade: 55

Run: Timed 4.06 down the line from the right side. He's a plus straight line runner, but has yet to demonstrate himself as a stolen base threat. Grade: 60

Overall: Williams is a sound defensive shortstop with a potentially above-average hit tool. That suggests he has a major league future. However, he has yet to indicate he can add strength, and that's brought his usable power down near the bottom of the scale, which is concerning in an age where shortstops are homerun threats. Williams will never be that type of player, but there's still value in the profile, even if he's likely looking at a bench/utility role.

OFP: 40
Role: 40 - Below-Average Player: Bench or Platoon
Risk: Moderate