Orioles Add Ryan Mountcastle, Mason Williams To Player Pool
The Baltimore Orioles announced Wednesday that first baseman Ryan Mountcastle and outfielder Mason Williams have been added to the team's player pool, bringing their total to 47 players. Manager Brandon Hyde said they would both be reassigned to secondary camp once it opens. Mountcastle is the only fantasy-relevant player in this news, being one of the team's top prospects. He holds value in dynasty leagues at this time.
Cincinnati Reds outfielder Mason Williams went 2-for-2 with two singles and a walk in Wednesday's 3-2 loss to the Pirates. The 27-year-old, who got called up at the start of the second half of the season, has hit a respectable .293 with one home run and five RBI in 99 plate appearances. He hasn't hit for power (.391 slugging percentage) so he's an empty batting average at this point. While this could have been useful for fantasy players earlier in the season, it probably isn't what they are looking for in crunch time, so Williams can remain on the waiver wire for the rest of the season.
Cincinnati Reds outfielder Mason Williams went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run in Friday's 6-4 win over the Phillies. Williams took Nick Pivetta deep in just his second game with the Reds this season. With Scott Schebler (shoulder) still on the disabled list and Jesse Winker (shoulder) out for the season, the 26-year-old will be filling out the Reds' outfield for now. His role once Schebler returns is unclear, so fantasy owners should hold off on adding him for now.
The Cincinnati Reds have signed outfielder Mason Williams to a minor league deal with an invite to big league camp. Williams is a former top prospect with the New York Yankees but he saw his development stall out in Double-A back in 2013. He appeared in 25 big league games with the Yankees over 2016-2017, batting .281 with a homer, 10 RBI, and two stolen bases. Williams represents a low-risk, high-reward signing for the rebuilding Reds. If he hits, the team adds a quality bat for next to nothing. If not, they can cut him in the spring.