The Braves have re-signed Luke Williams to a minor league deal, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. He has been assigned to Triple-A Gwinnett and entered tonight’s game as a pinch runner.
It’s an unsurprising development. Williams is clearly liked by the club as a depth piece but he is out of options, leading to frequent transactions. Williams was added to the roster a few days ago while Michael Harris II went on the paternity list. When Harris came back a few days later, Williams was designated for assignment, cleared waivers and elected free agency. It’s a familiar cycle for him. He was claimed off waivers in the summer of 2023 and, since then, this is the third time he has become a free agency and then quickly re-signed.
Williams hasn’t hit in the majors, with a .212/.272/.280 line in 350 plate appearances. But he provides defensive versatility, with experience at every position on the diamond except catcher. He can also steals some bases, swiping 25 bags in 31 attempts in his big league career.
Atlanta doesn’t have a ton of optionable position player depth on the roster. The only guy on the 40-man who isn’t already in the majors or on the injured list is Nacho Alvarez Jr., who has a .182/.325/.212 line in Triple-A so far this year. If someone on the active roster suffers an injury, Williams will be a candidate to rejoin the big league club.
Photo courtesy of Brett Davis, Imagn Images
