Mason Williams (baseball) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mason Williams |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
.jpg)
Williams with the New York Yankees
|
|||
| Outfielder | |||
| Born: August 21, 1991 Pawtucket, Rhode Island, U.S. |
|||
|
|||
| debut | |||
| June 12, 2015, for the New York Yankees | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| June 19, 2021, for the New York Mets | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .265 | ||
| Home runs | 4 | ||
| Runs batted in | 15 | ||
| Teams | |||
|
|||
Mason Jordan Williams, born on August 21, 1991, is a former American professional baseball player. He played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). Mason played for several teams, including the New York Yankees, Cincinnati Reds, Baltimore Orioles, and New York Mets.
Contents
Early Life and Baseball Dreams
Mason Williams was born in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. He was a great player on his local Little League team. After finishing seventh grade, his family moved to Winter Garden, Florida. This move helped him play against tougher competition. It also gave him a better chance to earn a college baseball scholarship.
Mason's Professional Baseball Journey
Starting with the Yankees
Mason went to West Orange High School in Winter Garden, Florida. He played baseball there. The New York Yankees picked him in the fourth round of the 2010 Major League Baseball draft. Mason decided to sign with the Yankees for $1.5 million. This meant he gave up his scholarship to the University of South Carolina.
Williams started his career in 2010 with the Gulf Coast Yankees. This team is in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League. He played five games there. In 2011, he played for the Staten Island Yankees in the New York–Penn League. He had a great season, hitting .349. He also hit three home runs and stole 28 stolen bases. After this season, he was named the league's Most Valuable Player.
Before the 2012 season, Baseball America magazine called him the Yankees' fifth best young player. Other experts also ranked him as one of the top young players in baseball. Mason started 2012 with the Charleston RiverDogs. He hit eight home runs and stole 19 bases. Later, he moved up to the Tampa Yankees. He played 22 games there before hurting his left shoulder. In 2014, the Yankees added him to their main roster. This protected him from being picked by another team.
Reaching the Major Leagues
In 2015, Mason started with the Trenton Thunder. Then he moved up to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. On June 11, the Yankees called him up to the major leagues! In his first MLB game on June 12, Mason hit a home run. It was his very first hit in the big leagues. Sadly, he hurt his right shoulder a week later. This injury needed surgery, and he missed the rest of the season.
Mason played for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre again in 2016. He was called up to the Yankees in September. He played well, hitting .296 in 12 games. In 2017, he started with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre again. He played five games for the Yankees in June. After that, he was taken off the main roster. He became a free agent in November.
Playing for Other Teams
In November 2017, Mason signed a contract with the Cincinnati Reds. He joined their main team on July 26, 2018. He made his Reds debut as a pinch hitter. The next day, he started a game and hit a 3-run home run. He became a free agent again in November.
Mason re-signed with the Reds in December 2018 but was released in March 2019.
On March 29, 2019, Mason signed with the Baltimore Orioles. He played for their minor league team, the Norfolk Tides. After their season ended, the Orioles called him up to the major leagues in September. He played 11 games and had 2 runs batted in. He signed with the Orioles again in November 2019. In 2020, he was called up to the Orioles' main team a few times.
Time with the Mets
On April 15, 2021, Mason signed with the New York Mets. He was called up to the main team on May 31. He played 17 games for the Mets. He hit one home run and had one RBI. He was later sent back to the minor leagues. He became a free agent in June. Mason re-signed with the Mets on a new minor league contract. In 2021, he was noted for having the slowest sprint speed among all major league center fielders.
Mason's Family and Sports
Mason comes from a family of athletes. His father, Derwin Williams, played in the National Football League for the New England Patriots. Mason's great-uncle, Walt Williams, also played Major League Baseball. He was an outfielder from 1964 to 1975 for several teams, including the Houston Colt .45s, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, and New York Yankees. Mason also has a younger brother named Kobe.
