Delwyn Young

2013

There was no outlook written for Delwyn Young.

2011

Young primarily served as a pinch-hitter and bad fielding outfielder/third baseman for Pittsburgh last season, hitting .236/.286/.414 with seven homers and 28 RBI in 191 at-bats. The Bucs would've considering bringing him back as a pinch-hitter, but Young likely would have made $1 million-plus had the team taken him to arbitration. His legacy in Pittsburgh will have to stand as the team's worst fielding third baseman in recent memory and as the first player to take Stephen Strasburg deep. Young was signed to a minor league deal by the Phillies and will get a chance to compete for a bench job with the club this spring.

2010

Young experienced both the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat on a professional level in 2009. After coming cheap to Pittsburgh in a trade with the Dodgers, Young opened some eyes with his clutch pinch-hitting abilities early in the season. Then, with starting second baseman Freddy Sanchez dealt to San Francisco, the Pirates tried to make Young a major league caliber second baseman in the middle of the season. He batted .311 through Aug. 25, but hit just .155 (in 103 at-bats) the rest of the way. The Bucs acquired second baseman Akinori Iwamura in the offseason, moving Young back into the outfield mix as a backup player. As a result, Young's 2010 role has been reduced to that of a part-time player and pinch-hitter extraordinaire.

2009

After hitting an impressive .337/.384/.571 for Triple-A Las Vegas in 2007, Young failed to build on that promise this past season, hitting just .246/.321/.341 in 126 at-bats for the Dodgers. Young was slowed by a strained oblique for a good portion of the year, however, and most scouts don't doubt his ability to hit at the big league level. Young, though, is a man without a position and likely won't be much more than a part-time player in 2009.

2008

After posting a .955 OPS in Triple-A and going 13-for-34 with four extra-base hits for the Dodgers in September, Young figures to have an excellent chance to make the big league club this year. He won't win a starting role in a crowded Dodgers outfield, but Young appears to have the inside track at being the club's fourth outfielder and primary pinch-hitter. Young needs to improve defensively, but at this point, there's little doubt that his bat will play at the big league level.

2007

After his defense necessitated a move from second base to the oufield, Young appears to be an extreme longshot to make a major league impact with the Dodgers. He remains a decent prospect and perhaps some team looking at his 98 RBI this year will attempt to pry him from the Dodgers and give him a job as a fourth outfielder.

2006

Despite solid hitting numbers across the board throughout his minor league career, Young hasn't received much hype as a prospect. One reason for that is his defense is considered to be subpar at second base, and a position change is likely in the offing. With the Dodgers signing Rafael Furcal, having Cesar Izturis under contract and Joel Guzman in the pipeline, he's unlikely to be a significant part of their long-term plans.

2005

Young showed very nice power for a second baseman at high Single-A Vero Beach in 2004. Some question his ability to stay at second, but because he's shown good power, a move to the outfield wouldn't severely harm his prospect status. He'll head to Double-A to start the season.