In June 1921, Williams was farmed out by the Cincinnati Reds to the minor league Joplin Miners of the Class-A Western League. With the Miners, he batted .320 with 65 hits, six doubles, six triples and one home run in 56 games played. On July 29, Williams was released by the Joplin club. At the start of the 1922 season, Williams signed with the Mobile Bears of the Class-A Southern Association. On September 25, Williams hit a home run in the tenth inning, which gave Mobile the win against Fort Worth Panthers in the 1922 Dixie Series. The Mobile club won the Dixie Series that season. Williams batted .298 with 187 hits with 25 doubles, seven triples and four home runs in 137 games played that season. He was tied for third with Snake Henry in hits in the Southern Association. He returned to the Mobile Bears in 1923. On the season, he batted .328 with 212 hits, 33 doubles, four triples and one home runs in 160 games played. He led the Southern Association in hits. At the start of the 1924 season, Williams re-signed with the minor league Mobile Bears of the Class-A Southern Association. However, early in the season he was purchased by the MLB Boston Red Sox to be used as a reserve outfielder. He made his season debut as a pinch runner on April 23, against the New York Yankees. In that game, Williams scored a run. After three games in the majors that year, he was sent back down to the Mobile club. With the Bears that season, he batted .327 with 159 hits, 18 doubles, three triples, and three home runs in 120 games played. On August 27, Williams was recalled by the Red Sox. On September 8, in a game against the New York Yankees, Williams got his first MLB hit, a double, off of Bullet Joe Bush. Williams got four hits in five at-bats in on September 9, against the New York Yankees. On the season with Boston that season, Williams batted .365 with 17 runs scored, 31 hits, three doubles, four runs batted in (RBIs), three stolen bases, and 10 base on balls in 25 games played. He returned to the Red Sox in 1925. With Boston, he batted .229 with 28 runs scored, 50 hits, one double, three triples, and 13 RBIs in 69 games played. On January 21, 1926, Williams was sold to the minor league Mobile Bears. On the season, he batted .352 with 215 hits 32 doubles, five triples, and two home runs in 155 games played.