Chase Williams is joining one of the premier baseball programs in the entire country.
Williams, a 2023 Stanhope Elmore graduate, recently announced his decision to transfer to Florida State to continue his baseball career.
After announcing his plans to enter the transfer portal, he received some attention from Division I programs across the country. Houston was in the mix, but a few days before his commitment Florida State reached out to the speedster.
“Florida State just felt right and they showed me a lot of love,” Williams said. “The coaches seemed really caring. All the conversations I’ve had with coach (Link) Jarrett have been amazing. He seems like a very loving, caring coach and has the same goals as the players and wants to win it all.”
The former star outfielder spent his freshman season of college at Northwest Florida State College and led the Raiders to a JUCO Division I championship appearance.
The switch-hitting outfielder shined for Northwest Florida this past spring. In 198 at-bats, Williams finished with a .379 batting average and a .473 on base percentage. He recorded 29 stolen bases in 36 attempts while scoring 71 runs in 55 total games.
He walked 31 times and hit two home runs, eight doubles, one triple and 32 RBIs.
With just two errors and a .979 fielding percentage, he was named a Florida College System Activities Association (FCSAA) Gold Glove winner.
He also earned Second Team All-Conference honors.
“I enjoyed this season and really enjoyed every single moment at Northwest,” Williams said. “They will always have a special place in my heart. Coach (Doug) Martin has done so much for me and words can’t describe how much this year meant to me.”
Williams had a standout preps career in the River Region. The former Stanhope graduate helped lead the Mustangs to multiple playoff appearances and a semifinals appearance his senior year.
He earned multiple All-County honors and hit .313 as a senior with 15 doubles, five triples, six home runs, 19 stolen bases and 43 runs scored.
His junior season, Williams led the entire county with a .475 batting average and 58 hits. He added 11 doubles, three triples, 19 RBIs, 46 runs and 28 stolen bases.
He was signed to play at the University of Alabama at Birmingham before eventually going the junior college route.
“Since I was in high school, I really feel like the biggest change for me has been my maturity,” Williams said. “I’ve grown as a ball player and just a better person all the way around. I feel like that’s helped me in so many ways that it’s really unexplainable.”
He is joining a Florida State team that was one of the best in the nation in 2024. The Seminoles finished the 2024 season as the No. 4-ranked team in the entire country. Florida State went 49-17 overall with a 17-12 record in ACC play.
After earning a National Seed as one of the Top 8 teams in the country, Florida State went 5-0 in the Regionals and Super Regionals to clinch its spot in Omaha.
The Seminoles went 2-2 in the College World Series and lost twice to eventual national champion Tennessee by scores of 12-11 and 7-2.
“I’m very excited after seeing them have so much success last year and make it all the way to Omaha,” Williams said. “I feel like we can do the same thing again this year. I’m ready to go there and put on a show and showcase my talents.”
