Alex Anthopoulos loves a reunion, and the Atlanta Braves GM gave fans another one on Friday. According to MLBTR, the Braves have re-signed utility man Luke Williams to a minor league contract. Williams appeared in 39 games with Atlanta in 2025 and has served as an organizational depth piece, shuttling back and forth between Gwinnett and Atlanta since the 2023 season.
Williams has a slash line of .151/.213/.209 in 86 at-bats with the Braves and has spent time at multiple defensive positions, including several mop-up relief appearances on the mound. Due to injuries around the infield and the abysmal shortstop production in 2025, the Braves ended up giving Williams a longer look than they probably intended last season. Williams' reunion with the team shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, as Atlanta’s infield depth will be tested early following Ha-Seong Kim’s injury.
Luke Williams and Ozzie Albies combine to get the @Braves out of a jam in style! #SpeedwayClassic pic.twitter.com/t1NfLVutsJ
— MLB (@MLB) August 3, 2025
Braves re-sign Luke Williams to bolster organizational infield depth
The unfortunate Ha-Seong Kim injury put a damper on an otherwise enjoyable offseason. The Braves reacted swiftly by signing former Baltimore Oriole Jorge Mateo, and now they’re bringing back an infielder who has appeared in games each of the last three seasons.
Williams will compete with non-roster invitees this spring training for what is presumably the team’s final bench spot. Depending on which NRIs Alex Anthopoulos brings in and the club’s plans for Nacho Alvarez Jr., the battle for that last bench spot should be an interesting one to watch.
Non-roster invitee (NRI) position players rarely become key contributors during the regular season, but every now and then, pitchers turn themselves into useful pieces on the 26-man roster. As pitchers and catchers report next month, the Braves front office is expected to make several smaller signings. Early spring training is typically filled with players like Luke Williams, all of whom will be fighting to impress not only the Braves but also other front offices across Major League Baseball.