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Texas Tech

My Space: Don

Don Williams (born June 1, 1977 in Owensboro, Kentucky) is an outfielder and first baseman in Major League Baseball who plays for the Texas Rangers (2006-present). Previously, Williams played with the Montréal Expos (2001-2004) and Washington Nationals (2005). He bats and throws left handed.

A line drive hitter and versatile defensive player, Williams attended the University of Florida and was selected by the Montréal Expos in the first round (33rd pick) of the 1998 amateur draft.

In a four-season career, Williams has compiled a .248 batting average with 83 home runs and 265 RBI in 654 games.

Williams had Team USA experience as a member of the junior team in 1995. He was the MVP of the World Junior Championship, pitching a three-hit shutout against Taiwan in the gold medal game and hitting .360 with three home runs and eight RBI for the tournament, leading Team USA in homers and RBI. A two-time first-team All-American, Williams led Florida to the College World Series in 1996 and 1998 with both his hitting and pitching.

In 1999, Williams hit .235 with eight home runs and 49 RBI at Double-A Harrisburg, a challenging assignment for his first full professional season. Back in the Eastern League to start the 2000 season, Williams tore up the league, hitting .336, 6, 44 with 36 doubles before a promotion to Triple-A Ottawa, of the International League. For the season, he was hitting .304-15-75 with 47 doubles in 408 at-bats. While coming up through the minors, Williams was a member of the gold medal-winning USA baseball team in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Williams debuted with Montreal on July 12, 2001, appearing in 38 games at left field. Nevertheless, the next three seasons he divided his playing time at left field (226), center (133) and right (29), as well as first base (136).

From 2002-03, Williams delivered almost identical seasons with a .266 average, 20 home runs and 59 RBI in 2002, and .268, 19, 77 in 2003. His most productive season came in 2004, when he posted career-highs in homers (32), hits (146), doubles (39), runs (112), bases on balls (106), slugging percentage (.498) and OPS (.872), and hitting .255 with 67 RBI.

Williams opened the 2005 season as the regular center field and leadoff hitter for the new Washington Nationals.

On December 7, 2005, Don Williams was traded to the Texas Rangers along with outfielder Terrmel Sledge and minor league pitching prospect Armando Galarraga for second baseman Alfonso Soriano.