Delmon Young

Young has been one of the most celebrated youth baseball players ever. He starred in national showcase events even before he attended high school, and was Baseball America's Youth Player of the Year in 2002 when he shattered the tournament home run record at the World Junior Championship. He has excelled in high school and summer league play as both a hitter and pitcher. He has dominated his competition much like his brother Dmitri, an eight-year major league veteran, did when he was a Southern California high school hero himself before signing with the Cardinals in 1991 as a first-round pick. Young is an outstanding hitter, particularly for his age. He routinely puts on a show in batting practice and carries his power into games, often hitting balls 450 feet or better. He has quick hands and the ball jumps off his bat. Young also has a powerful arm and has been clocked up to 95 mph on the mound. He elected not to pitch this spring because of a basketball-related ankle injury that delayed the start of his season and some nagging shoulder soreness. Even with his obvious arm strength, Young projects as a left fielder in pro ball. He's shown average speed and there's some stiffness in his running, limiting him to a corner. Young will be one of the first two or three players drafted; he has a commitment to Arizona as a bargaining chip.