After a season away, Alika Williams is fighting for a major league spot, showcasing improved hitting and a determined mindset to stay with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
It was as if Alika Williams vanished or entered witness protection.
The Pittsburgh Pirates used 57 players last year, posting a 71-91 record and finishing in last place in the National League Central. Yet Williams wasn’t one of them.
Instead, Williams spent the entire season at Triple-A Indianapolis after playing 83 games with the Pirates over the previous two years. He seemed out of sight, out of mind.
Now, after arriving at spring training as a non-roster invitee, Williams is pushing for a bench spot. He’s hitting .292/.370/.458 with a double and a homer in 24 Grapefruit League at-bats.
Defense will be the key to Williams ever getting back to the major leagues and staying there. However, he must hit more to help the Pirates than he has at .202/.257/.271 slash line he has compiled in 208 plate appearances in the big leagues.
The 27-year-old advanced last season at Indianapolis, batting .269/.329/.393 with nine home runs in 103 games.
“Last year was a big learning year,” Williams told reporters at the Pirates’ spring training camp in Bradenton, Fla. “I learned a lot about myself as a player. This year, it’s about staying within myself and helping the team however I can. I’m not going to slug like Ryan O'Hearn and Marcell Ozuna. I’ll focus on staying in the big part of the field and playing small ball.”
In 2025, Williams lowered his hand to generate more bat speed, boosting his confidence for spring.
“Each year in pro ball, you gain confidence,” said Williams, who the Pirates acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays in a trade during the 2023 season. He was a first-round pick by the Rays in the 2020 draft from Arizona State.
Last season gave Williams time to reflect on aspects of his game that he could improve. Topping the list was developing a better pre-game routine.
He can control that, but not roster decisions, so Williams won’t predict what GM Ben Cherington will do before Opening Day on March 26 in New York.
At least Williams is back in the Pirates’ discussions.
“What happens with me is out of my control,” Williams said. “I just show up each day and play hard.”
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