Chris Young Stats & Scouting Report

AB	4710
AVG	.235
OBP	.314
SLG	.428
HR	191

Full name Christopher Brandon Young
Born 09/05/1983 in Houston, TX
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Bellaire
Debut 08/18/2006
Drafted in the 16th round (493rd overall) by the Chicago White Sox in 2001.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

The White Sox were the first team to steal Young, after he broke his left arm three days before the 2001 draft. But the Diamondbacks may be the ultimate winners after grabbing him in the Javier Vazquez deal before the 2006 season. Young missed the first three weeks of the season with a broken right wrist but made his major league debut by season's end. Arizona knew it was getting a good player in Young, but he turned out to be even better than expected. He quickly took to the organization's selectiveaggression approach at the plate and dramatically cut down on his strikeouts while maintaining his power stroke. He's a great athlete, with well above-average speed that could make him a 30-30 man in the majors. He's a pure center fielder with a long stride that allows him to get to a lot of balls. The Diamondbacks have worked with Young to get more timing and rhythm in his swing so he can handle offspeed pitches better. His arm is his only tool that doesn't rate as a plus, but it's more than adequate. Arizona is loaded with talented young outfielders, but he's the best center fielder of the bunch and ready to take over in the majors.
A star at national high school power Bellaire, Young lasted until the 16th round of the 2001 draft because he was rail-thin. He signed late that summer and spent two years in Rookie ball before making his full-season debut in 2004. He was inconsistent but his final numbers were proof he's worth the effort that will be required to smooth out his rough edges. While Young still hasn't bulked up, he's strong and has nearly as much raw power as anyone in the system. He uses his top-of-the-line speed to turn singles into doubles and to put pressure on pitchers. Some White Sox officials already consider him a major league-caliber center fielder. Young often gets overly aggressive at the plate, exacerbating his difficulties at making contact. He has struck out in 27 percent of his pro at-bats and must reduce that number to make better use of his speed and power. His arm strength is below average. Ticketed for high Class A in 2005, Young is somewhat reminiscent of former White Sox farmhand Mike Cameron. Chicago would love to see him reach the majors in 2007.
Young led Texas prepsters in steals in 2001 at perennial power Bellaire High, which went 34-2 and was ranked sixth nationally. He lasted 16 rounds in the draft, mostly because he was scrawny. He has filled out as a pro and made great strides in 2003, when he ranked as the No. 2 prospect in the Rookie-level Appalachian League. Speed remains Young's best tool. He has been clocked at 4.0 seconds to first base from the right side of the plate. He's always a threat to steal bases, including third. Young has learned to use the whole field while developing surprising power and improved strike-zone judgment. He's an above-average center fielder who played 50 consecutive errorless games last year. Young sometimes looks bad against breaking pitches. He needs to do a better job making contact to take full advantage of his speed. He has a below-average arm and didn't register an assist in 2003. The White Sox hope Young can continue to establish himself as he moves to low Class A. They have little need to rush him with Jeremy Reed, Joe Borchard and Brian Anderson ahead of him on the center-field depth chart.

Minor League Top Prospects

The key acquisition for the Diamondbacks in their offseason Javier Vazquez trade with the White Sox, Young missed the first three weeks of the season with a broken right wrist before finding his groove in May. His combination of power and speed sparked Tucson's drive to the postseason, though he was long gone to the majors by the time the Sidewinders won the PCL playoffs. Sometimes compared to Eric Davis, Young has 30-30 potential in the major leagues. The rest of his game is well-rounded, too, as he draws walks and made better contact this year, boding well for his ability to hit for average. He covers both gaps well in center field, and his only below-average tool is his arm. "I really like him in center field," Colbert said. "He has a lot of tools with power and speed. He's a lanky kid who will get bigger and better at the next level."
Young's game can be summarized by his performance Aug. 21 against Mobile, when he hit two solo home runs, bunted twice for hits and stole two bases in the same game. That's Young: an electric, five-tool player who does it all. He nearly put together a 30-30 season for the Barons despite missing two weeks with a minor oblique strain, and he still topped the league in runs, doubles and homers. A terrific center fielder whom managers rated as the league's best outfield defender, Young invites Mike Cameron comparisons. Just as impressive as his athleticism is his outstanding work ethic. He showed a lot of maturity for a 21-year-old who skipped a level. He still strikes out too much, but has learned to stay back on breaking balls and use the opposite field. "He's doing a great job learning the zone," Barons manager Razor Shines said. "Early he made some mistakes at the plate, but this guy is getting it quick. Just from spring training till now, it's amazing the adjustments he's made."
Young ranks behind Anderson because he's even more raw, but he probably has a higher ceiling. The question is whether his propensity for swinging and missing will keep him from reaching it. His 146 strikeouts ranked third in the league behind two other unrefined, multitooled outfielders: Greensboro's Jai Miller and Rome's Steve Doetsch. Young still is growing into his 6-foot-2 frame, and his power is becoming his best tool. When he does make contact, it's loud, as he ranked third in the league with 60 extra-base hits. Cron compared Young to former White Sox farmhand Mike Cameron for his power-speed combination and his struggles to make contact. "He's got plus tools across the board except for arm strength, though his arm has gotten a bit better," Cron said. "He's not afraid to go deep in counts, and that leads to a lot of strikeouts too. But he plays a great center field, he's a plus runner and he has plus power. That's three major league tools, and if he's an average hitter, you've got yourself a pretty good big league center fielder."
Young's speed played better than anyone else's in the league. The White Sox clocked him at 4.0 seconds from the right side to first base, and he stole third base on numerous occasions with ease. His legs also make him a solid defensive center fielder, where he played errorless baseball for 50 straight games. The White Sox are most excited about Young's development as a hitter. A student of the game, Young made progress in using the entire field and was second in the league with 28 extra-base hits. He surprised many opponents with the pop in his bat, and Bristol manager Jerry Hairston said there's more power to come from Young's 6-foot-2, 180-pound frame. "He's an excellent runner with budding power," Hairston said. "He's picking up breaking balls as soon as they leave the pitcher's hand and making the necessary adjustments in all phases of his game."
A 2001 16th-rounder making his pro debut, Young hit just .217 but impressed managers with his natural athletic ability, particularly his speed and raw power. He generates good pop despite weighing a mere 165 pounds. The key for Young will be learning the strike zone so he stops chasing pitches and gets better ones to hit. "He can hit it a mile," Hairston said, "but he's a dead pull hitter now and the trick will be getting him to use the whole field."