Ben Williamson was a relatively unnoticed draft pick for the Mariners in their strong 2023 class. However, as he approaches the one-year mark since being selected in the second round last July, he has certainly made a name for himself.
Ranked as Seattle’s No. 15 prospect by MLB Pipeline, Williamson was promoted last Wednesday to Double-A Arkansas after an impressive performance at High-A Everett. There, he posted a .315/.408/.459 slash line (.867 OPS) with one home run, one triple, 11 doubles, and 21 RBIs, alongside a 16.2% strikeout rate and an 11.5% walk rate in 29 games.
“Just really working out plans to attack pitchers with,” Williamson said. “Before at-bats, finding a tunnel and then tunneling those pitches. Say if it was a sinker guy, I would tunnel him away, and if it started anywhere other than away, I knew that if it was a fastball, it would be a ball. So that helped me get on time for the fastball. From there, I’d trust myself to adjust to any offspeed pitches.”
Williamson spent four years at William & Mary University with a similar approach, but working closely with Everett hitting coach Seth Mejias-Brean helped him create an even more detailed plan.
“I had done it before, but just didn’t know what it was called,” Williamson said. “If I knew from a scouting report that a guy was going to have a lot of two-seam run, or if a guy was going to have a lot of ride, I’d try to either push him away or push him down. But I didn’t know that it was called tunneling. Setting my sights wasn’t really new to me, but the term ‘tunneling’ was new to me.”
So what has he learned about what he does well?
“If I’m on time for a fastball middle-away, I’m also going to be on time for an offspeed pitch that’s hung up in the zone and be able to drive them to left-center,” Williamson explained. “So basically, just being on time for a fastball to right-center and being able to catch anything else out front that’s not a fastball. Then, getting rid of that inner half until two strikes. And after that, it’s just competing when I get two strikes.”
Williamson’s preparation extends well beyond the batter’s box. Mariners Minor League hitting coordinator CJ Gillman recently compared his makeup and focus to Mitch Haniger, known in the organization for his behind-the-scenes diligence.
“That’s who this guy is. And then when you pair a good swing and physical strength with that, you get what we’re seeing,” Gillman said.
Williamson has also worked through several injuries, including a fractured hand from a hit-by-pitch that cut his season short last August, and an ankle sprain in summer ball before his senior year at W&M, which forced him to manage much of his recovery independently. This experience heightened his awareness of overall health.
“I kind of just took that and ran with it for every other part of my body, I guess, if that makes sense,” Williamson said. “So just focusing on mobility, focusing on my strength just to keep me healthy and keep me on the field. I just noticed a complete difference.”
This emphasis on health and preparation has also contributed to his development as one of the best defensive infielders in the organization. His instincts and quick first step allow him to field balls effectively, while his strong arm and swift exchange help him finish plays. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him get time at shortstop in the future.
