Alika Williams #7

Alexander David (Alika) Williams...Was originally selected by New York (AL) in the 32nd round of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft, but did not sign...Is a 2017 graduate of Rancho Bernardo (Calif.) High School, where he was a four-year member of the varsity baseball team...Was rated as the No. 44 overall prospect in California and No. 9 shortstop prospect in the state (No. 284 ranked player nationally and listed as the No. 44 shortstop prospect in the country by Perfect Game)…Became the first shortstop from Arizona State to be selected in the first round of the draft since Deven Marrero went to the Red Sox 24th overall in 2012 and just the third Sun Devil shortstop in history to be selected in the first round...Entered the 2020 season at Arizona State as a preseason All-America by seven different media outlets...Was rated as the “Best Defensive Infielder” among college players in the 2020 First-Year Player Draft.

2024

Was a member of Pittsburgh's Opening Day roster...Made his season debut as the starter at shortstop on 3/31 at Miami and produced his first Major League triple; also had a career-high two RBI and scored two runs...Made his first career start at second base on 4/1 at Washington and went 2-for-4...Hit safely in 10 of his first 11 games thru 4/27 (11-for-35, .315), including a career-high eight straight from 4/9-27... Tripled and scored a run as a pinch hitter on 4/19 vs. Boston... Went hitless in four games (11 at bats) from 4/30 through 5/8, dropping his season batting average from .314 to .239...Was optioned to Indianapolis on 5/10, but was recalled a day later when Ke’Bryan Hayes went on the injured list...Went 2-for-25 in 11 games with the Pirates in May...Was placed on the 10-day injured list on 6/2 (retro to 5/30) with a right wrist sprain... Began a rehab assignment with Indianapolis on 6/13...Ended his rehab, was reinstated from the IL and was optioned to Indy on 6/19...Went 3-for-5 with a double, triple and two RBI on 6/23 vs. Iowa...Had back-to-back three-hit games on 7/4-5 vs. Louisville...Was placed on the Taxi Squad on 7/10; returned to Indy on 7/11...Had four hits on 7/26 at Iowa...Hit safely in nine straight games from 7/14-27, going 15-for-35 (.429) with three doubles and a 1.070 OPS...Produced a .369 (24-for-65) average and .868 OPS in 16 Triple-A games during the month of July...Was recalled on 7/28 when Nick Gonzales went on the IL...Entered the game on 7/28 at Arizona as a pinch runner in the ninth inning and scored two runs (played second base the final two innings)…His RBI on 7/28 (HBP with the bases loaded) was his first since Opening Day...Was optioned to Indianapolis on 8/3...Had back-to-back two-hit games on 8/14-15...Was recalled on 8/17 when Andrew McCutchen went on the injured list...Tallied his lone RBI in August on 8/28 vs. Chicago (NL)…Doubled in back-to-back games on 9/7-8...Was optioned to Indianapolis on 9/16...Went 3-for-4 on 9/17 at St. Paul...Had four hits on 9/19 at St. Paul...Made all 45 defensive appearances (33 starts) at shortstop with the Pirates.

2023

Began the year with Montgomery (Rays’ Double-A)…Made 27 appearances (26 starts) at shortstop and 17 appearances (16 starts) at second base for the Biscuits…Was acquired by Pittsburgh on 6/2 in exchange for pitcher Robert Stephenson and assigned to Triple-A Indianapolis…Connected for his first home run with Indianapolis on 6/23 vs. Columbus…Was hitting .343 (23- for-67) with a 1.017 OPS in 18 games during the month of July before being selected to the big league roster on 7/25… Made his big league debut as a late-inning replacement at shortstop on 7/25 at San Diego; drew an 11-pitch walk against Josh Hader in his first plate appearance…Made his first big league start at shortstop on 7/26 at San Diego and went hitless in three at-bats...Had an RBI-single off Aaron Nola for his first Major League hit on 7/29 at PNC Park…Hit safely in six straight games from 7/29 through 8/6. Going 8-for-19 (.421)…Went 4-for-22 in 15 games during the month of September before being optioned to Indianapolis on 9/26…Hit a combined .268 (76-for-284) with 19 doubles, 12 home runs and 43 RBI in 78 games between Montgomery and Indianapolis…Made all 45 defensive appearances (33 starts) at shortstop with the Pirates.

2022

Set Minor League career highs in nearly every offensive category while spending time with three different teams in the Tampa Bay system...Hit .249 (90-for-361) with 12 doubles, 10 home runs and 62 RBI in 96 total games between High-A Bowling Green, Montgomery and Triple-A Durham...Spent majority of the season with Bowling Green...Had four hits on 5/4 at Wilmington...Homered twice, had six RBI and scored four runs on 6/18 vs. Winston-Salem...Also hit two home runs on 6/26 at Greenville...Was promoted to Durham on 9/2... Finished season with Montgomery...Made 88 appearances (87 starts) at shortstop between the three teams and one start at second base (with Durham on 9/7).

2021

Hit .267 (82-for-307) with 16 doubles, five homers and 46 RBI in 73 Minor League games between Charleston (Rays' Low-A), Bowling Green and Durham...Made 59 starts at shortstop and 11 at second base between the three teams... Hit his first professional home run on 6/29 at Kannapolis... Was promoted to Bowling Green on 8/24...Homered in back-to-back games on 9/7 and 9/9 (Game 1)…Went 2-for-3 with a home run in his Triple-A debut on 9/11 vs. Norfolk (Game 1).