ST. PETERSBURG -- The Rays got involved in their third three-team trade of the offseason on Monday, acquiring infielder Ben Williamson from the Mariners in a swap headlined by infielder Brendan Donovan going from St. Louis to Seattle.
The Mariners got the biggest star in Donovan, and the rebuilding Cardinals got a haul of young talent and two picks in this year’s MLB Draft. Meanwhile, the Rays got a strong defensive infielder in the 25-year-old Williamson while parting with outfield prospect Colton Ledbetter and the No. 72 overall Draft pick.
To make room on their 40-man roster for Williamson, the Rays designated left-hander Ken Waldichuk for assignment.
TRADE DETAILS
Rays get: INF Ben Williamson (from Mariners)
Mariners get: INF/OF Brendan Donovan (from Cardinals)
Cardinals get: RHP Jurrangelo Cijntje, CF Tai Peete and Competitive Balance Round B Draft pick (from Mariners); OF Colton Ledbetter and Competitive Balance Round B Draft pick (from Rays)
Drafted by the Mariners in 2023 out of the College of William & Mary, Williamson debuted for Seattle last April and played 85 games at third base before he was optioned to Triple-A on July 31. Williamson provided excellent defense at the hot corner, but he hit just .253 with a .294 on-base percentage and .310 slugging percentage.
Williamson hit one home run and 13 doubles and drove in 21 runs while stealing five bases. He was displaced at third base by Trade Deadline acquisition Eugenio Suárez, and the Mariners’ acquisition of Donovan combined with the presence of top prospect Colt Emerson likely made Williamson expendable.
He only played parts of three seasons in the Minors, but he slashed .291/.377/.415 with nine homers and 30 steals in 188 games in Seattle’s system. Over 52 Triple-A games to finish last season, Williamson produced a .314/.392/.462 slash line in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. He mostly played third base in the Minors, but he has also seen limited action at shortstop and second base.
It's not entirely clear how Williamson, a right-handed hitter who has Minor League options remaining, will fit with the Rays. They have All-Star Junior Caminero holding down the hot corner, and he improved enough defensively last season to imagine him remaining at third.
Perhaps Williamson could serve as a utility infielder, backing up shortstop Taylor Walls and second baseman Gavin Lux while allowing the Rays to give Caminero occasional days off his feet as their designated hitter. It’s also worth noting that Lux will be a free agent at the end of the season, while Williamson will remain under club control for years.
Ledbetter finished last season as the Rays’ No. 24 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. A second-round pick in the 2023 Draft, Ledbetter spent all last season with Double-A Montgomery. He produced a .265/.337/.378 slash line with seven homers and 37 steals in 123 games for the Biscuits.
The Rays also dealt away the No. 72 pick in this year’s Draft, a Competitive Balance Round B selection. They still have a Competitive Balance Round A pick, No. 33 overall, which they acquired from the Orioles in the trade for Shane Baz, in addition to the second overall selection.