Air and opportunity.
For some players, thatโs all they need. Theyโll take care of the rest.
Tate Williams is that type of gamer, a 2025 grad class catcher who has made his most of his chances with the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series as he strives towards earning a college commitment.
FULL Event Schedule & Registration
San Antonio Scout Day Player Video
MLB DRAFT: 2025 Top 100 Prospects
Listed at six-foot and 155 pounds this summer while still working to add some size, the Lobos backstop has been under the radar in many ways, but has seen an uptick in interest and performance over the last summer, a big one with the Future Stars Series in which he earned his way to the Underclass Elite event after a strong showing both behind the dish and with the bat in Nashville at the Underclass Combine.
โMy experience with the Future Stars Series has just been amazing,โ Williams told FSS Plus. โFrom the standpoint of everything coaches me to me taking in all I can, just playing as hard as possible to get my name seen and in colleges ears and MLB teams too.โ
As a Texas native, it can often be difficult to stand out in a state that historically produces such a significant amount of talent every year. But, even continuing that process with his recent appearance at the San Antonio Scout Day, Williams has put his nose to the grindstone to make sure that heโs not left behind.
Tate Williams, C (2025) โ Brandeis HS
He had a strong showing at the Underclass Combine this summer. Watch him in action at the Underclass Elite Oct. 6-8.
Full Video
https://t.co/6oSV3rbujQ @NB_Baseball @fss_texas #WeGotNow pic.twitter.com/7ajNFYMzFy
โ New Balance ๐๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ (@ftrstarsseries) August 22, 2023
โTo stand out, Iโm not the biggest guy youโre going to see pop up with big numbers on these combines and stuff, you have to see me play to know that I can play,โ he said. โSo, for me, itโs playing hard and doing what I do. Then itโs posting on social media, and the Future Stars Series helps me a lot with getting film, so I can keep getting my name out there. Online recruiting is big now, so I have to, I guess, annoy everyone about my name so they remember me.โ
Williams most recent scouting report, which comes from the Underclass Elite, is glowing. Itโs one that points out his 1.94 pop time, still-developing tools and frame and exceptional makeup. In part, it reads, โUpside is huge. Premium position with some avg to above avg tools now. Still 2 years to develop for his draft year. Gonna have them stirred up for sure. Great makeup. Loves to play and it showsโฆProgress has been fun to watch. Would be high priority for me in โ25 as an area guy. Chance for 5 tool catcher here. Not too many profile out like this.โ
Unlocking the projectability in that frame, however, remains key to the rest taking care of itself. Even with some gains made where heโs now at six-foot-one and 170 pounds, he still knows that.
โHonestly, right now, my whole off-season has been in the weight room and getting as strong as possible,โ he said. โEating good, taking the best nutrition I can to just get bigger. Thatโs pretty much it. Iโm not the biggest guy, but I want to help my frame out, and hit the weights a lot. But, I like how athletic I am back (behind the plate) and some of the bigger guys canโt move as much as I can. Most of my pop time is because Iโm real quick, so itโs putting on that lean muscle and getting stronger over just getting more mass.โ
An outdoors enthusiast, Williams is also lauded for his baseball IQ, something he says in part comes from his time with the Lobos, but also just being a โstudent of the gameโ with his father having been drafted by the Houston Astros.
โThat benefits me a lot just in knowing what to do in certain situations,โ Williams said. โHe got hurt and wasnโt able to play, so for me, Iโd like to excel where he couldnโt. Itโs a big responsibility for me to show how good we are.โ
It was at the Underclass Elite event where Williams truly got a taste of what that might be like, getting to set foot on and play in Dunkin Donuts Park and Delta Dental Stadium, two of the top minor-league facilities in the country.
โThat was amazing,โ he said. โI loved the big decks, looking up and just seeing stands as high as you can seem it was amazing. Walking into Hartford, at first, was just so surreal. I couldnโt believe that I was there. It shows that the hard work youโve been doing pays off, and that was an amazing experience.โ
First, however, itโll be college ball, and Williams remains uncommitted.
โHonestly, itโs anywhere that I can get playing time right now,โ he said. โI know the (transfer) portal is big right now, and I donโt want that to mess with anything, so Iโm open to going anywhere that wants to offer me; Iโm open to go south, north, east, west. Anywhere. I just want to play baseball somewhere.โ
A versatile player who can also handle himself in the outfield, heโs hopeful that his unique skillset, as well as what he can bring to the table off the field, will make him an appealing option to a program that will let him show what he can do.
โI think that will help me a ton,โ he said. โI can run, and most catchers really donโt run. Most guys get catches for the defense, they donโt care if they bat a buck-sixty, but I feel like I can bring a lot in those aspects, and I can help a team out anywhere in the lineup.โ
The hard work doesnโt stop, however. It canโt. This is a big summer for Williams as he strives to try to stay on the radar, and heโs committed to doing what it takes to get the job done.
โJust do what I do and stay consistent,โ he said. โA lot of these college coaches are looking for consistency, and I think that if I stay on the path that Iโm on now and just work hard and play hard, those are the two biggest things thatโll get me as far as I want. I know I have the ability, I just want to be able to show that.โ
Since 2003, he has covered multiple World Series and has worked high-profile events ranging from the MLB All-Star Game to the World Baseball Classic. In addition to his role working for the Future Stars Series that he's held since 2017, Ashmore currently serves as the beat writer of the Double-A New York Yankees affiliate, the Somerset Patriots, as well as national hockey writer and New York Jets game day beat reporter for The Trentonian.
A regular contributor to Baseball America, Ashmore has worked seven Super Bowls, 11 Stanley Cup Finals, the 4 Nations Face-Off, the NBA Playoffs, College Football Playoff National Championship Game, Frozen Four, Daytona 500, major UFC events and much more as he approaches 3,200 games covered in his career.
An avid card collector and sim racer, he lives with his wife, Sarah, their son William, and their beloved dog, Bailey, and cat, Smokey.
- FSSBL Canada: Kage Kobras - June 20, 2025
- Looking back at Sandlot Scout Day - June 6, 2025
- Future Stars Series Baseball League adds Kage Kobras, Mo Bearcats - May 30, 2025
