IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa redshirt sophomore Peyton Williams was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday in the seventh round of the 2022 Major League Baseball Draft. Williams was the 218th pick overall.
The Johnston, Iowa, native is the second Hawkeye selected in this year’s MLB Draft, joining second round pick Adam Mazur, and he is the 25th player drafted during head coach Rick Heller’s tenure in Iowa City.
Toronto has selected three Iowa players – Nick Allgeyer, Trenton Wallace and Williams – since 2018.
Williams had a breakout 2022 season, hitting .335 with 55 runs, 41 RBIs and 32 extra base hits (17 doubles, 13 home runs and two triples). The first baseman started 54 games, hitting safely in 38 games and reaching safely in 49 contests and he had 20 multi-hit games.
During the season, Williams ranked seventh in the Big Ten in on-base percentage (.464), eighth in slugging (.622) and eighth in OPS (1.086).
Williams became the first Hawkeye since 2018 to hit for the cycle when he finished 5-for-5 with two doubles, one triple, one home run, five RBIs and four runs scored in a midweek win over Bradley on April 12. The five hits tied a then school hits record and his five RBIs tied a career high.
During his Hawkeye career, Williams hit .317 with 84 RBIs and 102 runs scored in 107 career games. He had 36 doubles, four triples and 21 home runs and he slashed .317/.455/.593.
