Jun 18, 2024; Omaha, NE, USA; Florida State Seminoles center fielder Max Williams (18) reacts after hitting a home run against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the ninth inning at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

Analyst Praises Marlins for Selecting Potential Steal of MLB Draft

Originally posted on Miami Marlins on SI | By Tommy Wild | Last updated Jul 15, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The 2025 MLB Draft was a pivotal one for the Miami Marlins.

Being in the midst of a rebuild and owning a top-10 pick meant that the front office had to find some talent that could develop into top prospects in their farm system.

However, one of the most exciting players Miami added to its organization during the draft was selected in the third round.

R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports identified his favorite pick for each team outside of the top 10 and praised the Marlins for selecting Max Williams out of Florida State, No. 78 overall.

"Williams has legit thump and center-field experience, and he hit .336/.408/.598 in ACC play. He slipped outside of the top 50 because of a sketchy approach that saw him strike out more than 1.7 times as often as he walked," wrote Anderson.

"If the Marlins can help Williams tighten his handle on the zone, he has the kind of offensive traits that could make him a steal at this stage of the event."

We told you we weren't done!!!!

Max Williams with his 11th bomb of the year!

B5 | UCF 2, FSU 9 pic.twitter.com/Y8y5p6rPDb
— FSU Baseball (@FSUBaseball) June 3, 2024

Williams showed a ton of power potential during his 2025 season at Florida State. He slashed .316/.383/.598 with an OPS of .981, including 19 home runs and nine doubles.

As Anderson pointed out, Williams did have a relatively high strikeout rate of 21 percent during his collegiate career.

However, at his best, he could be one of the top players from the 2025 draft class, so Miami selecting him in the third round is great value, even with the concerns.

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