Phillies: 3 prospects who provide optimism for future
By Matt Rappa
2. Luke Williams
Infielder Luke Williams — selected by the Phillies two rounds earlier than Bailey Falter (fifth round) in the same 2015 draft — has made strides this past week while playing before an international audience.
The 24-year-old helped the World No. 2-ranked United States team go undefeated in the 2021 World Baseball Softball Confederation’s Baseball Americas Qualifier, clinching them a spot at this summer’s Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Williams and Team USA defeated Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, Canada, and Venezuela.
Logging 18 at-bats, Williams slashed .444/.778/.500 with six runs scored, five singles, one double, triple and home run reach, and six RBI, along with tallying 14 total bases. Williams struck out just twice while posting a team-best 1.278 OPS. He led Team USA in many categories at the plate.
Before joining Team USA, Williams logged 82 plate appearances for the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs last month, and slashed an equally impressive .352/.439/.465 with four doubles, two triples, eight RBI, 10 walks, and 19 strikeouts.
Williams as another utility-type player, first made popular in the Phillies organization with Scott Kingery, and most recently with Nick Maton. This season at Triple-A, he played second base, third base, shortstop, and all three outfield positions. For Team USA, Williams was limited to just left field, yet he did not commit an error across four games.
If his success from the Olympic qualifier tournament carries back over to the Phillies minor-league system, the team surely will give him a look in the majors sooner than later.