Mason Williams

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked New York Yankees #19 prospect in 2016
  Much like Slade Heathcott, Williams' career has been littered with peaks and valleys. He starred at short-season Staten Island in 2011, then performed well at low Class A Charleston and high Class A Tampa before dislocating his shoulder attempting to make a diving catch. His career took a sharp nosedive once he reached Double-A Trenton, where he produced OPS numbers of just .428 and .593 in his first two tries. Evaluators also questioned his effort, which earned him team-issued suspensions. In 2015, however, Williams found himself. He hit his way to New York and made his major league debut on June 12 against the Orioles. He played just eight games with the Yankees before an injury to his right shoulder required season-ending surgery. Before that, he hit his first big league home run and also made a highlight-reel catch. When healthy, Williams can be a well above-average center fielder with enough speed and feel to hit to slap balls to the alleyways and sprint around the bases. The Yankees' outfield projects to be crowded in 2016, so Williams will head back to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre barring a trade.
• 
  Ranked New York Yankees #30 prospect in 2015
  The Yankees' No. 1 prospect entering 2013, Williams has seen his career go downhill since then, with poor performance and inconsistent effort going hand in hand. His power has vanished, with consecutive seasons of sub-.100 isolated slugging, and he was pulled on multiple occasions in 2014 for failing to run out groundballs. His jailbreak swing is largely to blame for the power outage. He still runs and defends at above-average levels when he's invested. The Yankees once were counting on Williams, but now he appears to be no more than a fourth outfielder who's likely headed for a repeat season at Double-A Trenton.
• 
  Ranked New York Yankees #3 prospect in 2014
  The son of former Patriots wide receiver Derwin Williams, Mason's grandfather Walt "No Neck" Williams finished his 10-year big league career with the Yankees. Coming off surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder that ended his 2012 season early, Williams entered the 2013 season as the system's No. 1 prospect but had a rough season from the start, with a DUI arrest in April. When he was on the field, Williams didn't show the same tools he had in 2012, particularly at the plate, where he rarely made hard contact and adopted an Ichiro-style slapping approach. Scouts thought Williams had gained weight--most evident in his inability to catch up to quality fastballs--and lost speed. He didn't turn in good times to first base, either, because of less effort. Williams' well-above-average defense didn't suffer as much. Evaluators uniformly praise his range, instincts and routes. Williams got a scenery change in August when he was moved to Double-A Trenton, where he struggled at the plate. Williams ought to start the 2014 season back in Trenton if Slade Heathcott graduates to Triple-A. Much like Heathcott, Williams' future in pinstripes is muddled by the team's acquisition of Jacoby Ellsbury.
• 
  Ranked New York Yankees #1 prospect in 2013
  Williams has athletic bloodlines. His father Derwin made it to the National Football League, playing wide receiver for three seasons for the New England Patriots, including on their 1985 team that lost to the Bears in the Super Bowl. Raised in Rhode Island, Mason and his family moved to Florida in part so he could face better competition, and he became a standout at West Orange High in Winter Garden, where he was a teammate of 2012 Astros second-round pick Nolan Fontana. Williams bypassed a commitment to South Carolina after the Yankees drafted him in the fourth round and gave him a $1.45 million bonus, the largest in their 2010 draft class. After earning No. 1 prospect honors in the New York-Penn League in 2011, he broke out in 2012, a season that ended when he dislocated his left shoulder trying to make a diving catch in late July. Despite a thin frame that has earned him Doug Glanville comparisons, Williams has surprising, wiry strength. He has explosive offensive ability, thanks to a special combination of quick-twitch athleticism, excellent running speed, above-average bat speed and snap in his wrists and forearms. He doesn't look like a power hitter, and at times he doesn't get his legs under him and employs a slap approach. When he stays balanced, though, he can drive the ball to any part of the ballpark, and Yankees officials expect him to hit 20 or more homers annually as he learns to hit from a more consistent, solid base. He has shown the ability to backspin the ball and has some loft in his swing. He has a loose, handsy stroke and excellent bat-to-ball skills. He's a plus-plus runner down the line but his baserunning skills need polish. He was caught 13 times in 33 steal attempts in 2012. Williams is capable of spectacular plays in the field. He touched 91 mph as a high school pitcher, and his arm strength rates as average despite inconsistent throwing mechanics. Aside from inexperience, his greatest weakness is immaturity. One pro scout who saw him in the South Atlantic League in 2012 said he "needed to be humbled," and New York benched him several times for not running balls out. One club official chalked it up to Williams' being too hard on himself and expressing his frustration with poor at-bats by not giving full effort. He plays the game with flair, which some scouts see as a manifestation of his confidence. Williams believes he's good and has played like it as a pro. One club official likened him to a more athletic version of former Yankees No. 1 prospect Austin Jackson, combining premium speed and tools with Jackson's swagger and playmaking ability. Williams will return to high Class A Tampa at age 21. New York expects more emotional and physical maturity in 2013. That would help him make the leap to Double-A Trenton during the season, where he could team with the similarly athletic Slade Heathcott in a glimpse of the Yankees' outfield of the future. Williams will race Heathcott to be ready to make the leap to New York if Curtis Granderson becomes a free agent after the 2013 season.
• 
  Ranked New York Yankees #5 prospect in 2012
  Williams got the highest bonus in the Yankees' 2010 draft class, signing for $1.45 million in the fourth round to turn down his commitment to South Carolina. In his first extended taste of pro ball last summer, he led the short-season New York-Penn League in steals (28) and ranked second in batting (.349) to spark Staten Island to its sixth championship in 13 years. He ranked as the NY-P's top prospect. While he's not overly physical, Williams has the system's best all-around tools. He has a lively body with athleticism to spare and surprising strength. While at times he's a slasher, he has good natural timing and barrels balls consistently. His bat is quick enough for him to hit quality velocity. As Williams quiets his hands and uses his legs better, he could develop average power because his swing path has a little bit of loft. He's a prototypical center fielder with raw 80 speed on the 20-80 scouting scale, easy range and an average throwing arm. He still must add polish to his baserunning, basestealing and route-running in addition to his swing. Williams could be the Yankees' next great homegrown center fielder. He'll get his first full-season test in Charleston in 2012. He's on the verge of passing Slade Heathcott within the system but will have to watch Ravel Santana coming up behind him.
• 
  Ranked New York Yankees #15 prospect in 2011
  Williams wasn't the Yankees top pick in 2010, but he did earn the largest bonus of their draft crop, getting $1.45 million in the fourth round. He had a big spring, pitching, hitting and running West Orange High (Winter Garden, Fla.) to a state 6-A finals berth in Florida's largest classification. His athleticism first attracted New York's attention, and his improvement offensively over the summer with the Midland (Ohio) Redskins alos aided his cause. He earned all-tournament honors while helping Midland repeat as Connie Mack World Series champion. One of his teammates was Shane Rowland, the son of Yankees international scouting director Donnie Rowland. Williams' ability to sting the ball to the opposite field convinced New York he has impact offensive potential. He has good swing fundamentals and makes consistent contact. He's a plus-plus runner and has above-average arm strength, so it's easy to project Williams being an asset in center field as well. His thin, wiry frame elicits Doug Glanville comparisons, though club officials see more electricity and athleticism from Williams. He'll likely begin 2011 in extended spring training because he's still a bit raw in all phases of the game.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Florida State League #19 prospect in 2013
  Williams had a forgettable season that started with an arrest for DUI in April. Scouts thought he had gained weight this season compared to what they had seen in the past, which was especially evident in his ability to catch up to quality fastballs. Scouts report his swing looked good in batting practice but changed in games to a more slashing approach, costing him power. Still, Williams got better as the season wore on. When he played with energy, he turned in plus running times and showed the easy range to be an asset defensively in center field, with a strong throwing arm. He played a full season and improved his walk rate. Williams wound up finishing the year in Double-A and helped Trenton win the Eastern League title.
• 
  Ranked South Atlantic League #9 prospect in 2012
  Rated the No. 1 prospect in the short-season New York-Penn League last year, Williams needed just three months in the SAL before earning a promotion to high Class A. His plus-plus speed and center-field defense are his loudest tools, and he also offers a quick bat and average power. His arm grades as average as well. Williams lost some of his appeal to league managers and scouts alike because of questions regarding his makeup. He reportedly caused a few headaches for the Charleston staff and turned off observers with the way he carried himself on the field. "He's got tools but needs to be humbled," a National League scout said.
• 
  Ranked New York-Penn League #1 prospect in 2011
  The Yankees signed Williams away from a commitment to South Carolina with a $1.45 million bonus before the 2010 signing deadline, and he played just five games in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League last summer. He spent most of this year as a 19-year-old facing older competition in the NY-P and made a splash, tying for the lead in triples (six) and steals (28) while ranking second in hitting (.349). "He's been outstanding in really just about every phase of the game," Staten Island manager Tom Slater said. "He can really run, he's got great range. He's really bought into and worked hard in his pregame, reading balls off the bat. He's thin now, but he's not a slap guy--he's going to drive the ball and he's going to hit for average." Williams stays through the ball well with a simple lefthanded swing. His quick hands generate surprising bat speed, and he could develop fringy to average power as he matures physically and continues to incorporate his lower half into his swing better. He has advanced pitch recognition and plate discipline for his age, though like most young hitters he's still learning to handle offspeed stuff. Williams has plus to plus-plus speed that plays on the bases and in center field, though he's still refining his basestealing ability and his outfield routes. He has a solid-average arm and projects as a plus defender in center fielder.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #32 prospect in 2013
• Ranked Baseball America's #85 prospect in 2012

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: Williams has athletic bloodlines. His father Derwin made it to the National Football League, playing wide receiver for three seasons for the New England Patriots, including on their 1985 team that lost to the Bears in the Super Bowl. Raised in Rhode Island, Mason and his family moved to Florida in part so he could face better competition, and he became a standout at West Orange High in Winter Garden, where he was a teammate of 2012 Astros second-round pick Nolan Fontana. Williams bypassed a commitment to South Carolina after the Yankees drafted him in the fourth round and gave him a $1.45 million bonus, the largest in their 2010 draft class. After earning No. 1 prospect honors in the New York-Penn League in 2011, he broke out in 2012, a season that ended when he dislocated his left shoulder trying to make a diving catch in late July. Scouting Report: Despite a thin frame that has earned him Doug Glanville comparisons, Williams has surprising, wiry strength. He has explosive offensive ability, thanks to a special combination of quick-twitch athleticism, excellent running speed, above-average bat speed and snap in his wrists and forearms. He doesn't look like a power hitter, and at times he doesn't get his legs under him and employs a slap approach. When he stays balanced, though, he can drive the ball to any part of the ballpark, and Yankees officials expect him to hit 20 or more homers annually as he learns to hit from a more consistent, solid base. He has shown the ability to backspin the ball and has some loft in his swing. He has a loose, handsy stroke and excellent bat-to-ball skills. He's a plus-plus runner down the line but his baserunning skills need polish. He was caught 13 times in 33 steal attempts in 2012. Williams is capable of spectacular plays in the field. He touched 91 mph as a high school pitcher, and his arm strength rates as average despite inconsistent throwing mechanics. Aside from inexperience, Williams' greatest weakness is immaturity. One pro scout who saw him in the South Atlantic League in 2012 said he "needed to be humbled,"and New York benched him several times for not running balls out. One club official chalked it up to Williams' being too hard on himself and expressing his frustration with poor at-bats by not giving full effort. He plays the game with too much flash for some scouts, while others see that as a manifestation of his confidence. The Future: Williams believes he's good and has played like it as a pro. One club official likened him to a more athletic version of former Yankees No. 1 prospect Austin Jackson, combining premium speed and tools with Jackson's swagger and playmaking ability. Williams will return to high Class A Tampa at age 21. New York expects more emotional and physical maturity in 2013. That would help him make the leap to Double-A Trenton during the season, where he could team with the similarly athletic and hyper-energetic Slade Heathcott in a glimpse of the Yankees' outfield of the future. Williams will race Heathcott to be ready to make the leap to New York if Curtis Granderson becomes a free agent after the 2013 season.
• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: Williams got the highest bonus in the Yankees' 2010 draft class, signing for $1.45 million in the fourth round to turn down his commitment to South Carolina. In his first extended taste of pro ball last summer, he led the short-season New York-Penn League in steals (28) and ranked second in batting (.349) to spark Staten Island to its sixth championship in 13 years. He ranked as the NY-P's top prospect. Scouting Report: While he's not overly physical, Williams has the system's best all-around tools. He has a lively body with athleticism to spare and surprising strength. While at times he's a slasher, he has good natural timing and barrels balls consistently. His bat is quick enough for him to hit quality velocity. As Williams quiets his hands and uses his legs better, he could develop average power because his swing path has a little bit of loft. He's a prototypical center fielder with raw 80 speed on the 20-80 scouting scale, easy range and an average throwing arm. He still must add polish to his baserunning, basestealing and route-running in addition to his swing. The Future: Williams could be the Yankees' next great homegrown center fielder. He'll get his first full-season test in Charleston in 2012. He's on the verge of passing Slade Heathcott within the system but will have to watch Ravel Santana coming up behind him.
• December, 2010 Scouting Report
  Williams wasn't the Yankees top pick in 2010, but he did earn the largest bonus of their draft crop, getting $1.45 million in the fourth round. He had a big spring, pitching, hitting and running West Orange High (Winter Garden, Fla.) to a state 6-A finals berth in Florida's largest classification. His athleticism first attracted New York's attention, and his improvement offensively over the summer with the Midland (Ohio) Redskins alos aided his cause. He earned all-tournament honors while helping Midland repeat as Connie Mack World Series champion. One of his teammates was Shane Rowland, the son of Yankees international scouting director Donnie Rowland. Williams' ability to sting the ball to the opposite field convinced New York he has impact offensive potential. He has good swing fundamentals and makes consistent contact. He's a plus-plus runner and has above-average arm strength, so it's easy to project Williams being an asset in center field as well. His thin, wiry frame elicits Doug Glanville comparisons, though club officials see more electricity and athleticism from Williams. He'll likely begin 2011 in extended spring training because he's still a bit raw in all phases of the game.