Alexander Williams: Everything you need to know

The Pirates reassigned Williams to minor-league camp Sunday. Williams will start at second base and bat ninth Sunday against the Red Sox in the Pirates' Grapefruit League finale, but the 27-year-old will fall short in his bid for a utility spot on the Bucs' Opening Day roster. He's expected to report to Triple-A Indianapolis, where he spent the entire 2025 season while slashing .268/.329/.392 with nine home runs and four steals across 394 plate appearances.

Williams cleared waivers Friday and was sent outright to Triple-A Indianapolis, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports. The 25-year-old infielder was booted off the Pirates' 40-man roster Monday to make room for Tim Mayza, but Williams went unclaimed off waivers and will officially remain in the organization. He slashed .311/.384/.396 with 13 RBI across 186 plate appearances in Triple-A last season, but he owns just a .529 OPS over his major-league career.

The Pirates designated Williams for assignment Monday, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. The move frees up a spot on the 40-man roster for the addition of Tim Mayza, whose signing was officially announced Monday. Williams, who turns 26 in March, has managed just a .202/.257/.271 batting line with zero home runs over 208 plate appearances at the major-league level.