Delwyn Young
Encyclopedia
Delwyn Rudy Young (born June 30, 1982) is an outfielder
and second baseman
in Major League Baseball
who is currently in the Philadelphia Phillies
organization, playing for the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs
.
where he was a student and a four-year letterwinner in baseball. Delwyn graduated in 2000.
under coach Teddy Warrecker where he still holds the team records for hits, runs, home runs and RBIs.
Young was drafted twice by the Atlanta Braves
in 2000 (31st round) and 2001 (29th round), but did not sign as he preferred to remain in college. He was next drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers
in the 4th round of the 2002 draft and signed with them on June 12, 2002.
's second team Minor League All-Star honors as well as being a Florida State League
All-Star at second base.
In 2005, with the Double-A Jacksonville Suns
he hit .296 with 16 HRs and 62 RBIs, leading to his promotion to the Triple-A Las Vegas 51s
. He hit .325 with the 51s in 36 games the remainder of the season. While he was with the 51s, the organization decided to change his position, moving him from second base to the outfield.
He spent the entire 2006 season with the 51s, hitting .273 with 18 HRs and 98 RBIs, though he had a high strikeout total with 104 strikeouts.
at Shea Stadium
. He went hitless in one at bat
. He appeared in eight games for the Dodgers in September, going hitless in five at bats as a pinch hitter
.
On August 3, 2007, Young made his first career start with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He recorded his first hit as a pinch hitter on August 4 against the Arizona Diamondbacks
. On August 9, in his second career start, he went 4 for 4 against the Cincinnati Reds
. He hit his first major league home run on September 25, off Colorado Rockies' Manny Corpas. A couple days later he hit another one off San Francisco Giants' Barry Zito
.
On April 1, 2008, Young hit his first career walk-off single against San Francisco Giants
pitcher Keiichi Yabu
. He battled injuries the rest of the season, and had to undergo off-season surgery on his elbow
for two players to be named later. Although mostly an outfielder, Young began working with Pirates coach Perry Hill on playing second base, a position he played in the minor leagues and occasionally with the Dodgers. He finished 2009 with 16 doubles, 2 triples, 7 home runs, 43 runs batted in, 2 stolen bases, to go along with a .266 average, a .326 on base percentage, a .381 slugging percentage, in 354 at bats.
Delwyn Young made the Pirates opening day
roster out of spring training as a bench player in 2010. On June 8, he hit a two-run homer against Stephen Strasburg
during Strasburg's first start as a big league pitcher.
announced that Young had signed a minor league contract, with an invitation to spring training.
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
and second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
who is currently in the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
organization, playing for the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs
Lehigh Valley IronPigs
The Lehigh Valley IronPigs are a minor league baseball team that plays in the International League. The IronPigs are the Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. The team plays their home games at Coca-Cola Park, which is located in Allentown, Pennsylvania...
.
High school years
Young attended Littlerock High School in Littlerock, CaliforniaLittlerock, California
Littlerock is a census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 1,377 at the 2010 census, down from 1,402 at the 2000 census...
where he was a student and a four-year letterwinner in baseball. Delwyn graduated in 2000.
College years and draft
Young attended Santa Barbara City CollegeSanta Barbara City College
Santa Barbara City College is a two-year community college founded in 1909. It is located on a campus right over the beach in the city of Santa Barbara, California, USA. SBCC offers associate degrees in English, Social Sciences, Computer Science, Engineering, Physics, and occupational and...
under coach Teddy Warrecker where he still holds the team records for hits, runs, home runs and RBIs.
Young was drafted twice by the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
in 2000 (31st round) and 2001 (29th round), but did not sign as he preferred to remain in college. He was next drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
in the 4th round of the 2002 draft and signed with them on June 12, 2002.
Minor leagues
After hitting well in the Dodger rookie leagues in 2002 (.300) & 2003 (.323), Young played for the Vero Beach Dodgers in 2004, hitting .281 with 22 HRs, 85 RBIs, and 11 SBs earning Baseball AmericaBaseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
's second team Minor League All-Star honors as well as being a Florida State League
Florida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
All-Star at second base.
In 2005, with the Double-A Jacksonville Suns
Jacksonville Suns
The Jacksonville Suns are a minor league baseball team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The team is currently a member of the Southern League and is the class Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins Major League Baseball team...
he hit .296 with 16 HRs and 62 RBIs, leading to his promotion to the Triple-A Las Vegas 51s
Las Vegas 51s
The Las Vegas 51s, formerly known as the Las Vegas Stars, are a minor league baseball team. They are the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. They play at Cashman Field in Las Vegas, Nevada. The team competes in the Pacific Coast League...
. He hit .325 with the 51s in 36 games the remainder of the season. While he was with the 51s, the organization decided to change his position, moving him from second base to the outfield.
He spent the entire 2006 season with the 51s, hitting .273 with 18 HRs and 98 RBIs, though he had a high strikeout total with 104 strikeouts.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Young made his major league debut with the Dodgers on September 7, 2006 against the New York MetsNew York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
at Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
. He went hitless in one at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
. He appeared in eight games for the Dodgers in September, going hitless in five at bats as a pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
.
On August 3, 2007, Young made his first career start with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He recorded his first hit as a pinch hitter on August 4 against the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
. On August 9, in his second career start, he went 4 for 4 against the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
. He hit his first major league home run on September 25, off Colorado Rockies' Manny Corpas. A couple days later he hit another one off San Francisco Giants' Barry Zito
Barry Zito
Barry Zito is a Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher for the San Francisco Giants. He previously played seven seasons with the Oakland Athletics, where he won the 2002 American League Cy Young Award and made three All-Star teams....
.
On April 1, 2008, Young hit his first career walk-off single against San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
pitcher Keiichi Yabu
Keiichi Yabu
is a Japanese baseball pitching coach for the Hanshin Tigers and a former baseball pitcher...
. He battled injuries the rest of the season, and had to undergo off-season surgery on his elbow
Pittsburgh Pirates
Young's attempt to rejoin the Dodgers roster for 2009 was derailed when he suffered another minor injury in spring training and he began the season on the disabled list. He was eventually traded on April 14 to the Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
for two players to be named later. Although mostly an outfielder, Young began working with Pirates coach Perry Hill on playing second base, a position he played in the minor leagues and occasionally with the Dodgers. He finished 2009 with 16 doubles, 2 triples, 7 home runs, 43 runs batted in, 2 stolen bases, to go along with a .266 average, a .326 on base percentage, a .381 slugging percentage, in 354 at bats.
Delwyn Young made the Pirates opening day
Opening Day
Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball and most of the minor leagues, this day falls during the first week of April. For baseball fans, Opening Day serves as a symbol of rebirth; writer Thomas Boswell once penned a book...
roster out of spring training as a bench player in 2010. On June 8, he hit a two-run homer against Stephen Strasburg
Stephen Strasburg
Stephen James Strasburg is a right-handed pitcher for the Washington Nationals, who selected him with the first pick in the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft...
during Strasburg's first start as a big league pitcher.
Philadelphia Phillies
On January 6, 2011, the Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
announced that Young had signed a minor league contract, with an invitation to spring training.