Alex Young

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #11 prospect in 2017
  Young pitched sparingly after being drafted 43rd overall in 2015 after his long college season at Texas Christian, but the gloves came off in 2016. He missed about six weeks in April and May 2016 with a forearm sprain but still pitched 118.2 innings and advanced from low Class A Kane County to high Class A Visalia. Young is a pitch-to-contact, command-driven lefty who typically sits 88-90 mph with his fastball and can touch 92. The velocity on Young's heater was down a couple ticks in 2016, but he was still effective with a wider repertoire. His breaking ball is called a true curveball by some observers and a slider by others, explained by the fact that it was not as firm as the previous year. Regardless of what it's called, Young's 76-81 mph breaking ball is an above-average pitch with plus potential. His changeup, which was newer coming out of college, is now a solid-average offering in the mid-80s. Young has good feel for pitching and is a competitor who likes to get the ball in big-game situations. At his best his command is superb, which is exemplified by an 88-pitch complete game he threw against Inland Empire. Keeping his command consistently sharp, though, remains a work in progress for Young and will be key for his development moving forward with no plus offerings in his arsenal. He projects as a back-of-the-rotation starter and is expected to start at Double-A Jackson in 2017.
• 
  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #7 prospect in 2016
  Young spent two years in Texas Christian's bullpen, but improved fastball command allowed him to move to the rotation in 2015. Arizona selected him with the first pick of the second round and signed him for $1,431,400. Because Young threw 97 innings for TCU, which began its season in mid-February and ran through the College World Series, Arizona limited him to 10 pro innings, counting the short-season Northwest League playoffs. Young has a really good feel for his plus slider, which already rates as the best in the organization. It's a really sharp pitch with a deep release, and he manipulates its break and length. He gets swings and misses on a sneaky, 88-93 mph fastball with sink and tail down in the zone. Young still is developing a mid-80s changeup that has late fade, and it projects to be an average pitch in time. He commands everything in his arsenal and stands out for his ability to set up hitters and throw all pitches in all counts, inducing weak contact from hitters. Young will get the chance in 2016 to prove that he's got the repertoire to stay in the rotation. He could move quickly to high Class A Visalia if he pitches well, and he has a ceiling as a No. 4 starter.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #32 prospect in 2015 draft
  After Young spent two years in the Texas Christian bullpen, the Horned Frogs coaching staff challenged him to improve his fastball command with the idea that he could step into their rotation this season. It's paid off handsomely for Young and TCU. Young has shown improved stamina and command in a dominating season as a starter. Young has slowed down his delivery, but it's still an up-tempo, mechanical delivery with some effort. But he's shown an ability to locate his lively average 89-92 mph fastball consistently--he's thrown strikes with 66 percent of his pitches in 2015. After struggling to maintain his velocity earlier in his career, he has maintained it in his breakout season. Primarily a two-pitch reliever, Young has developed an excellent changeup with late fade as a starter. But he still trusts his knuckle curve as his primary offspeed offering. Most pitchers struggle to control what's considered a tricky pitch, but Young has unusual ability to manipulate it, throwing it for strikes or burying it and showing the ability to make it bigger and slower or tighter and harder depending on the situation. He's trusts it enough to throw his curve in 3-0 counts. Young has a relatively fresh arm thanks to two years in the bullpen and a very light workload as a junior--he averaged 84 pitches an outing in his first 11 starts. He projects as a lefty starter with a chance for three average or better pitches.
• Ranked #126 prospect in 2012 draft
  Young is the top prospect in Illinois, but he may not be the first player selected from the state because of signability questions. A team could select him as early as the third round, but that may not be high enough to lure him away from a Texas Christian commitment. After three years with the Horned Frogs, he could go even higher because he's a projectable lefthander who's just starting to figure things out on the mound. His fastball ranges from 87-91 mph and has touched 93 in workouts. The projection and athleticism in his 6-foot-3, 190-pound frame hint at more velocity. With large hands and long fingers, he also shows aptitude for spinning a curveball. Young needs to improve his fastball life, curveball consistency and overall command, as well as a developing a changeup. But all of the ingredients are there.

• December, 2015 Scouting Report
  Young spent two years in Texas Christian's bullpen, but improved fastball command allowed him to move to the rotation in 2015. Arizona selected him with the first pick of the second round and signed him for $1,431,400. Because Young threw 97 innings for TCU, which began its season in mid-February and ran through the College World Series, Arizona limited him to 10 pro innings, counting the short-season Northwest League playoffs. Young has a really good feel for his plus slider, which already rates as the best in the organization. It's a really sharp pitch with a deep release, and he manipulates its break and length. He gets swings and misses on a sneaky, 88-93 mph fastball with sink and tail down in the zone. Young still is developing a mid-80s changeup that has late fade, and it projects to be an average pitch in time. He commands everything in his arsenal and stands out for his ability to set up hitters and throw all pitches in all counts, inducing weak contact from hitters. Young will get the chance in 2016 to prove that he's got the repertoire to stay in the rotation. He could move quickly to high Class A Visalia if he pitches well, and he has a ceiling as a No. 4 starter.