Eric Young Jr.
Speedster who led the NL in stolen bases in 2013 and later became a first base coach.
Eric Orlando Young Jr. (born May 25, 1985) is an American professional baseball former outfielder and current first base coach for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB for the Colorado Rockies, New York Mets, Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, and Los Angeles Angels from 2009 to 2018. He led the National League in stolen bases in 2013.
- Position
- Center Fielder
- Primary Affiliation (Rockies era)
- Colorado Rockies, early 2010s
- Pre-Rockies Team
- Arizona Diamondbacks
- Post-Rockies Teams
- Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers
- Playing Style
- Speed, base-running, expansive outfield defense
- Home Ballpark
- Coors Field, Denver, Colorado
Lore & Background
Young was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey and graduated from Piscataway Township High School. He had a football scholarship to attend Villanova University but signed with the Colorado Rockies after being selected in the 30th round of the 2003 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut with the Rockies on August 25, 2009, and hit his first career home run on September 8, 2009. He was traded to the New York Mets in 2013 and became the National League stolen base leader that season. He later played for the Braves, Yankees, and Angels.
In Their Own Story
The August evening at Coors Field was thick with that particular Denver humidity that makes the air feel alive. The Rockies trailed by one in the bottom of the seventh, and the pitcher on the mound had just delivered a fastball that sizzled past the plate. Eric Young Jr. was on second, his cleats dug into the dirt, shoulders squared, eyes locked on the catcher's mitt. The next pitch came—a slider, low and inside. He didn't swing. The ball hit the glove. And in the same breath, his hips exploded off the bag. The crowd noise swelled into a single, sustained roar. The catcher's throw was on target, but Young was already a full stride ahead, his arms pumping in that loose, rhythmic cadence that made the distance between bases look like a suggestion rather than a measurement. He crossed the plate before the first baseman even turned his head. The umpire's fist went up. The upper deck erupted. And for one breathless moment, the entire ballpark felt like it was moving at the speed of his legs.
Reader's Guide
Young is known for his speed and base-stealing ability. He led all minor leaguers with 87 stolen bases in 2006 and won the Arizona Fall League batting title with a .430 average. In the majors, he led the NL in stolen bases in 2013. He has served as first base coach for the Washington Nationals and Seattle Mariners.
Did You Know?
- Young's father, Eric Young Sr., was a former professional baseball player and Angels third base coach.
- Young's first child, Eric Young III, was born prematurely in January 2017 and died one day later.
- He hit a game-winning solo home run for the Angels on May 31, 2017, against the Atlanta Braves.
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