Eric Young Jr.

Eric Orlando Young Jr. (born May 25, 1985) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and current first base coach for the Seattle Mariners. Over his big-league career from 2009 to 2018, he played for the Colorado Rockies, New York Mets, Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, and Los Angeles Angels. In 2013, he led the National League in stolen bases.

Young grew up in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and graduated from Piscataway Township High School. He had a football scholarship to Villanova University but instead signed with the Rockies after they picked him in the 30th round of the 2003 draft. He started his pro career in 2004 with the Casper Rockies. In 2006, he led all minor leaguers with 87 stolen bases, then won the Arizona Fall League batting title with a .430 average. He also hit a three-run homer in the 2009 All-Star Futures Game.

Young debuted for the Rockies on August 25, 2009, playing center field and getting his first hit in the fifth inning. His father, Eric Young Sr., was in the stands. He hit his first home run on September 8 against the Reds. He appeared in two postseason games that year, both off the bench, going 0-for-1 in the NLDS. In 2010, he was optioned to Triple-A Colorado Springs, recalled in April, then sidelined by a stress fracture in his right tibia in May, spending 60 days on the disabled list. He returned in August. In 2011, he was called up again after batting over .300 in Triple-A. He made the Rockies’ opening day roster in 2012 but went on the DL in August with a left intercostal strain. The Rockies designated him for assignment on June 12, 2013.

On June 18, 2013, the Mets acquired Young for pitcher Collin McHugh. On July 24, he was involved in a play that ended Braves pitcher Tim Hudson’s season: covering first base, Hudson’s ankle was rolled when Young stepped on the bag late, breaking Hudson’s ankle. Young showed immediate concern. On August 2, he hit his first career walk-off, a two-run homer in the 11th inning against the Royals. On the final day of the 2013 season, he stole his 45th and 46th bases to win the NL stolen base crown, the first Met to do so since José Reyes in 2007. The Mets non-tendered him on December 2, 2014.

Young signed a minor league deal with the Braves in February 2015, but they designated him for assignment on June 5 after he hit .169/.229/.273. On August 22, the Mets re-acquired him for cash. He was removed from the 40-man roster in November, becoming a free agent. Combined with both teams in 2015, he batted .153 with no homers, five RBIs, and a .217 on-base percentage.

In January 2016, he signed a minor league contract with the Brewers and competed for the center field job but didn’t make the opening day roster. On August 31, the Brewers traded him to the Yankees for cash. He played six games for New York, mostly as a pinch runner, scoring twice, stealing one base, and going 0-for-1.

The Angels signed Young to a minor league deal in January 2017 and called him up to replace the injured Mike Trout. On May 31, he hit a game-winning solo homer in the eighth inning against the Braves. He was outrighted in July, recalled later, and tied a career high with four home runs in 110 at-bats. He elected free agency after the season. He re-signed with the Angels on a minor league deal in January 2018, spent most of the year with Triple-A Salt Lake, and was recalled in July, batting .202/.248/.303 in 109 at-bats.

In 2019, Young signed minor league deals with the Orioles (released in March) and the Mariners (released in July). He then played in the Mexican League for Acereros de Monclova in 2019 and signed with Guerreros de Oaxaca in 2020, but the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and he was released in November.

Young transitioned to coaching and is now the first base coach for the Seattle Mariners.