Braves Place Luke Williams on Outright Waivers
The Atlanta Braves have placed utility player Luke Williams on outright waivers, as reported by the MLB.com transaction log. This action follows the team's decision to designate him for assignment last week to make room for Danny Young on the roster, preventing him from entering minor league free agency this offseason.
Although Williams has not officially elected free agency, it is expected that he will do so soon. With over seven seasons in the minors, he is likely to become a minor league free agent regardless. There is a possibility that this move could lead to another non-roster contract with the Braves, where he has played for the last three seasons.
During the past season, the 30-year-old spent most of his time in the minors, appearing on the major league roster for just two days in April while Michael Harris II was on paternity leave. In 363 plate appearances with Triple-A Gwinnett, Williams recorded a batting line of .218/.311/.367, but he excelled in base stealing, successfully stealing 37 bases out of 40 attempts. He was included in the Braves' Wild Card Series roster as a potential pinch-runner, although he did not see action against the Phillies and was replaced in the Division Series.
