Yankees Mason Williams: Take your broken wings and learn to fly

Of late, the Yankees have been pouring molten lava on the MLB transaction wire. But one move seemingly is flying under the radar as it appears the organization is moving to cut ties with a 25-year old outfielder who has been in their system for eight years. It could be the best thing that’s ever happened to him.

The Yankees announced a day or two ago that they had designated outfielder, Mason Williams for assignment (DFA). This means that the organization has ten days to decide what to do with him and Williams has the same time to decide on his future, as to whether or not he will accept the assignment.

On both sides, it would appear that the time has come to part ways and for Williams, in particular, to take his broken wings and learn to fly with another organization. For now, Williams has been removed from the Yankees 40-man roster and is no longer eligible for a recall.

The tale of the tape

In eight seasons with the organization, Williams has played in almost 600 games with 2500 plate appearances, while hitting every possible stop in the Yankees minor league system. His most recent call-up lasted all of ten days bringing his total major league service time to 25 games and 68 at-bats during three stints with the Yankees.

Once a fourth round draft pick and considered as one of the team’s top prospects, Williams name no longer appears on the MLB list of the Yankees Top 30 Prospects. As recently as September 2016, Yanks Go Yard found reasons to tout Williams as a lone bright spot in the team’s farm system.

Of course, that was then, and this is now. Williams is caught in the conundrum of young talent sprouting up everywhere in the minors and time, as they say, has passed him by.

More from Yanks Go Yard

• Yankees analyst Cameron Maybin projects surprise landing spot for Gary Sánchez
• Yankees swipe intriguing minor-league FA lefty flamethrower from Braves
• What does Carlos Rodón’s new jersey number mean for Domingo Germán?
• 3 lefty relievers Yankees can still sign without breaking the bank
• Red Sox living in different financial ‘galaxy’ than Yankees Killer Rafael Devers

Still, he has definite trade value, and that’s one of the options the Yankees have over the next few days in deciding his fate.

At 25, Williams is still three away from the 28-31 age bracket that is usually considered the most productive years of a position player.

Although limited, Williams has had a crack at major league pitching and has not embarrassed himself or his team. That experience could be useful for a team that is looking for that extra piece to add to their outfield as they prepare for the stretch run drive to a pennant.

Sign the divorce papers

We all know that baseball is a business, but it still bears pointing out that a trade is something the Yankees could, in a perfect world, view as an opportunity they owe to Williams. Plus at the same time, his value could bring back a cog they need to fortify themselves.

But just in case, Williams, hopefully, is hammering his agent with phone calls pleading with him to “do something” to alter and resurrect his career, because it sure isn’t happening with the Yankees.

The Yankees are enamored with their crop of Baby Bombers as well they should be. Mason Williams has become an afterthought in the organization and, whether or not he deserves it, is inconsequential to the decision that lays before him.

How are Yankees’ top 10 prospects performing so far?

The New York Yankees' farm system is teeming with talent and, like the big-league club, trudging through its share of injuries.

Like one of those marriages that just doesn’t seem to work out even though both parties have kept good faith, the time has come for the Yankees and Mason Williams to finalize their divorce papers.