Former Gator Jacob Young Talks Recent Move to MLB

Former Gators baseball outfielder Jacob Young was drafted by the Washington Nationals in 2021 and was called up to the majors in August. Young discussed his experiences in the MLB so far on Sports Scene.

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— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) August 26, 2023

From High-A to the Major Leagues

The news about Young’s promotion to the majors came after he just finished playing in Rochester. While his parents were visiting, he was searching for dinner places when he received a phone call from his manager.

“Well, it only means two things, you’re either going up or you’re going down,” Young said.

Little did he know, the next morning, Young would be heading to the show.

In late August, when Stone Garrett suffered an ankle injury that ended his season, the Nationals called up Young, who had worked his way up from A-ball to Double-A and Triple-A this season, putting up a combined .305/.376/.418 line.

Under Florida head coach Kevin O’Sullivan, Young became the 30th former Florida player to make their MLB debut. While Young’s record is gaudy, he’s the first Gator to reach the majors since Philadelphia’s Dalton Guthrie in Sept. 2022.

The Gradual Rise

When Young played 26 games at Fredericksburg in 2021, he was promoted to Class-A Fredericksburg in 2022, where he played 115 games. He then moved up to High-A Wilmington, Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Rochester this year before being called up to continue his rise.

During his three seasons in the minors, Young stole 104 bases while being caught just 14 times. Last season, he won the Nationals’ minor league base runner of the year award. As a pinch runner and a strong defender, such a profile is ideal for a fourth outfielder.

Young expressed that he adjusted well to the atmosphere and fans since his move to D.C. He enjoys the opportunity to play in front of a passionate fanbase, which is something he’s quite used to since playing for Florida.