Jacob Young Stats & Scouting Report

AB	468
AVG	.256
OBP	.316
SLG	.331
HR	3

Full name Jacob Samuel Young
Born 07/27/1999 in Ponte Vedra, FL
Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 180 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Florida
Drafted in the 7th round (203rd overall) by the Washington Nationals in 2021 (signed for $275,000).

View Draft Report

Perhaps if Jud Fabian wasn’t beside him in the outfield Young would get a bit more recognition or excitement from the scouting industry. As it stands, Young is an above-average runner who patrols left field for the Gators and has quietly been a .330/.400/.447 hitter over his three-year career in Gainesville. Standing at 6 feet, 175 pounds, Young certainly doesn’t look like a corner outfielder, but it would make all the sense in the world for a team to draft him and give him a chance to prove he can’t play in the middle of the outfield at the next level. He has the speed and has shown solid route running and athleticism in left field, though his arm might make right field a tougher sell. Young is a contact bat offensively, with below-average raw power, but he led the Gators in hits (80), doubles (16), runs (56) and stolen bases (13) this spring. While he doesn’t have a carrying tool, he does some things well and his track record of hitting in the SEC should give him a shot for a club that values that sort of statistical performance.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade: 40/Medium

Track Record: Young ranked as the No. 356 prospect in the 2021 draft and signed for $275,000 with the Nationals that year in the seventh round. Despite never receiving much in the way of attention, he has always impressed within the organization. Young was one of just two minor league players to score at least 100 runs and steal at least 50 bases in 2022. He carried that momentum into 2023 and, despite starting the year in High-A, ultimately made his big league debut in Washington, hitting .252 with 13 steals in 33 games.

Scouting Report: Speed is Young’s calling card. He stole 39 bases in the minors in 2023 and was not caught stealing in his 13 attempts in the majors. Some scouts remark that he’s among the best baserunners they’ve ever seen and he posted a 98th percentile sprint speed in the big leagues. Young could compete for stolen base titles in a full-time role, but it’s an open question whether he’ll hit enough to command such an opportunity on a major league roster. Young makes plenty of contact, especially on pitches in the zone, but he struggles to hit for much power. Young primarily played center field upon arriving in Washington but is capable at all three outfield spots. He showed slightly above-average range and arm strength in his limited big league time.

The Future: While he’s likely more of a fourth outfielder because of his limited power output, Young has played his way into the Nationals’ outfield mix and could even push Victor Robles for the starting role in center in 2024.

Scouting Grades Hit: 40 | Power: 40 | Run: 75 | Field: 50 | Arm: 50

Draft Prospects

Perhaps if Jud Fabian wasn’t beside him in the outfield Young would get a bit more recognition or excitement from the scouting industry. As it stands, Young is an above-average runner who patrols left field for the Gators and has quietly been a .330/.400/.447 hitter over his three-year career in Gainesville. Standing at 6 feet, 175 pounds, Young certainly doesn’t look like a corner outfielder, but it would make all the sense in the world for a team to draft him and give him a chance to prove he can’t play in the middle of the outfield at the next level. He has the speed and has shown solid route running and athleticism in left field, though his arm might make right field a tougher sell. Young is a contact bat offensively, with below-average raw power, but he led the Gators in hits (80), doubles (16), runs (56) and stolen bases (13) this spring. While he doesn’t have a carrying tool, he does some things well and his track record of hitting in the SEC should give him a shot for a club that values that sort of statistical performance.
A plus-plus runner, Young is an athletic infield/outfielder committed to Florida. He's played second base at times this spring, though scouts see him as a fringe-average defender there. He fits better in center field, where his speed will allow him to track down deep fly balls in the gaps, though his fringe-average arm strength should prevent him from playing right field. He has a muscular, tapered build but is just 6-foot, 155 pounds with a bat that is more of a project than a present strength.