Torrey Pines’ Carson Williams drafted by Tampa Bay Rays in 2021 MLB Draft
SAN DIEGO (BVM) — Every junior golfer dreams of sinking a putt to win the Masters, every Pop-Warner star fantasizes about running out of a tunnel in front of thousands of fans and every AAU hooper longs to be the next Michael Jordan. So many young athletes prepare for moments like these through practice, games, tournaments and college careers. But, every so often, some juniors are so incredibly talented that they have the option to turn pro straight out of high school, helping them achieve these moments much earlier than most. Athletes who have done so are Lebron James, Kobe Bryant and Joe Nuxhall, a former Cincinnati Reds pitcher who pitched in an MLB game at just 15-years-old. Though different sports leagues have varying rules about who can turn pro out of high school or how many years an athlete has to spend at the college level before making the jump, MLB allows youngsters to start making big bucks at a young age. Just look at Carson Williams for an example.
During the 2021 MLB Draft on July 11, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred stood at his podium to announce who will be earning a shot as a professional baseball player. After drafting some well-known names in the college and high school baseball world, Manfred informed the viewers that the Tampa Bay Rays had the next pick. He came back to the podium a few minutes later.
“With the 28th pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, the Tampa Bay Rays select Carson Williams, a shortstop from Torrey Pines High School, California,” Manfred said.
Williams was the No. 10 shortstop selected within 28 picks.
He quickly caught the eye of many MLB teams after performing well throughout high school. During his senior season, Williams had a .495 batting average, 35 RBIs and 11 home runs in a span of 31 games played. These stats, along with more from other years, also impressed many colleges, including the University of California, Berkeley (Cal), to which he committed to play. So, when he was drafted, a decision needed to be made: go pro or go to college?
If Williams did play for the Golden Bears, he would have to wait another three years to enter the draft again. For the past two years, every first-round pick has signed with a team. Furthermore, plenty of his would-be teammates at Cal were also drafted this past year.
But that won’t matter for Williams. According to Torrey Pines head baseball coach Tommy Simis, Williams has decided to take his pro offer and will earn a $2.5 million signing bonus. Some believe that college would have allowed the 180-pound infielder to explore different positions on the diamond, while others prefer he does so in the league. With a 97-mph fastball, pro scouts could also see Williams as a pitcher in MLB.
“I’m ready to go, ready to play some baseball,” Williams told Marc Topkin and Payton Titus of the Tampa Bay Times. “That’s what I’m here for, so it should be fun.”
Williams will continue to grow into his 6-foot-2 frame, allowing him to gain more power for hitting and throwing, but until then, he must train. He will arrive in Tampa shortly and will be introduced to his future teammates and shown all the facilities.
