The de facto twenty sixth man for the Atlanta Braves for a lot of the 2024 season, infielder/outfielder/pitcher (apparently) Luke Williams provided flexibility as a depth participant for a lot of the marketing campaign.
How acquired?
The Braves signed Williams as a free agent on June 5, 2023, after he was launched by the Los Angeles Dodgers. They then re-signed him to a minor league deal in November 2023.
What have been the expectations?
With the way in which the Atlanta Braves constructed their roster for the 2024 season, Williams was an oddly excellent match for the twenty sixth man on the energetic roster. Atlanta started the season with six full-time starters locked in to the on a regular basis line-up, with solely left discipline and catcher the one positions the place a work-share was attainable. Williams was anticipated to be depth, possible at Triple-A, that would match the massive league staff as an emergency fill-in, pinch-runner and more than likely, and participant who would possibly go weeks with out making it right into a recreation.
Place flexibility apart, although, Williams presents little — which is why he was the proper match for a staff that basically doesn’t need to get something out of its non-regulars, by design. His profession coming into 2024 consisted of 263 PAs with a 60 wRC+ and -0.2 fWAR; his protection has been marginally above common as a man that may fill in in all places however is badly stretched at shortstop. The expectation was that he’d be alternative stage or perhaps just a little worse, however by no means in a method the place he’d get any substantial enjoying time.
2024 outcomes
Williams appeared in 37 video games for the Braves however solely picked up 52 plate appearances. Used as a pinch-runner greater than a dozen occasions, he stole three bases and scored 9 runs on the season. He ended up beginning 14 contests, which in and of itself tells you simply how sideways the 2024 season went for the Braves,at 4 totally different defensive positions, together with shortstop, second base, third base and left discipline.
Williams additionally pitched in three video games – together with twice in three video games in August towards the Milwaukee Brewers, which additionally tells you a bit about how the 2024 season went for the Braves.
On the plate, Williams struggled in his restricted appearances, slashing .196/.275/.261… however that’s principally par for the course, as that 54 wRC+ wasn’t actually any totally different from what was a 60 mark coming into the 12 months. On the mound, he pitched 4 innings and allowed solely two runs — each in his final look towards the Brewers. All in all, he completed with -0.2 fWAR, his second consecutive season falling beneath the literal threshold of alternative stage.
At Triple-A, Williams hit higher with a .282/.344/.495 line and 9 dwelling runs in 55 video games and 241 plate appearances for the Gwinnett Stripers. Nonetheless, he’s been across the majors sufficient to know that that 115 wRC+ within the minors gained’t translate.
What went proper?
For Williams, he spent a major period of time on the massive league roster, regardless of his restricted variety of on-field appearances. Taking part in many of the season at age 27, Williams noticed motion in his fourth consecutive season on the huge league stage.
Though his manufacturing was restricted, the positional flexibility he gave Atlanta on the finish of the bench was useful of their nightmarish season the place you couldn’t assist however marvel who’d go down for the rely subsequent.
Williams did handle to have one good full recreation, in a 5-1 win over the Twins. He doubled within the third and was stranded, however his double within the seventh pushed the Braves’ lead from two to 4 runs.
Certain, he received some assist from poor fielding, however he at the very least hit the ball okay, which has been an issue for him. (He had one barrel and two cases of “stable contact” in 2024, neither of which have been this double.)
What went incorrect?
Though Williams has by no means had an intensive run of enjoying time in his MLB profession — essentially the most plate appearances he has had in a single season was 136 throughout two organizations in 2022 — this previous season noticed him see have a minimal position on the main league stage. Offensively, he’s offered little worth, and 2024 didn’t assist issues in any respect. In 4 seasons, the very best single-season xwOBA he’s posted is .266, so he’s principally pitcher-level offensively, which isn’t nice contemplating that pitchers, properly, you understand… usually don’t hit in MLB anymore.
Sadly for Williams, the group opted to ship him to Triple-A in mid-September regardless of having important depth points within the infield. When the going received robust, even the Braves couldn’t abide somebody along with his restricted upside on the bench, apparently.
One factor that basically went incorrect, although it wasn’t actually his fault, was a sequence on September 1. In a tie recreation, Gio Urshela led off the eighth with a single and gave technique to Williams, who pinch-ran because the go-ahead run. The Braves then went down so as… solely to load the bases towards Matt Strahm within the ninth. Orlando Arcia made an out on three pitches, citing… Williams, within the highest-leverage state of affairs of his profession. The Braves didn’t swap anybody else in for him, and he hit a routine fly to heart on the third straight fastball he received in just about the identical location (he had fouled off the 2 earlier than).
2025 outlook
Williams is outwardly the quintessential Quad-A participant. His productiveness at Triple-A, to not point out his staff management, will hold him round as a depth choice for the Braves. He may see time with Atlanta in 2025, relying on how the staff re-considers (or doesn’t) its method to the bench. However, he may simply as simply be lower unfastened from the 40-man roster and discover a chance elsewhere. Both method, he’s defensibly versatile sufficient to not essentially be an terrible main leaguer if wanted, however presents so little with the bat that he’s most likely alternative stage at finest.
