Yankee prospect Mason "Bernie Jr." Williams makes his mark upstate

Last night, the Staten Island Yankees of the NYP League played near Syracuse, and centerfield prospect Mason Williams stole the show. According to the Syracuse Post-Standard:

Staten Island centerfielder Mason Williams, the Yankees’ fourth-round pick in the 2010 draft out of West Orange High in Winter Garden, Fla., covered the outfield like a human tarp.  Williams, whose .349 batting average led the league in the regular season, got Staten Island on the scoreboard in the first inning. He led off the game with a double and later scored on a sacrifice fly.

Williams is 20.

In the third inning, Williams robbed Russell Moldenhauer of an extra-base hit. Williams cut short a potentially big inning when he dove to catch Moldenhauer’s line drive to right-center with one out and the bases loaded. One run scored on the play, but Auburn’s threat had been stymied.
“That kid made that unbelievable play in centerfield,’’ Cathcart said. “To me, that changed the whole ball-game around. If he doesn’t make that play, we’ve got three runs there. The bases are loaded and all three guys are going to score and Moldenhauer’s at least on second; maybe third, and we might score four or five.’’

Williams ran down another apparent base hit to the gap in the fifth inning. Auburn’s Caleb Ramsey, leading off the inning, stroked a line drive toward right-center, but Williams galloped over to make the catch on the run. It was a seemingly effortless play that most other outfielders wouldn’t have had a chance to make.