Kevin Young (baseball) facts for kids

Kevin Stacey Young, born on June 16, 1969, is a former American professional baseball player. He played for 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Kevin was mainly a first baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Kansas City Royals. He batted and threw with his right hand.

Young also received the Roberto Clemente Award in Pittsburgh. This special award is given each year to an MLB player. It honors players who show great sportsmanship, help their community, and contribute a lot to their team.

Kevin Young's Early Baseball Days

When Kevin Young was 17 years old, he played on an American Legion baseball team. His team from Kansas City, Kansas, finished 24th in the entire nation. This was a big achievement, as there were 5,000 teams competing!

College Baseball Success

Young went to Kansas City Kansas Community College. There, he was named an All-American player. He also won the Rawlings Big Stick Award. He led his region with an impressive .477 batting average.

Later, he attended the University of Southern Mississippi. He continued to be an All-American. In 1990, he helped the Golden Eagles team reach their first-ever Regional tournament.

Kevin Young's Professional Baseball Career

The Pittsburgh Pirates chose Kevin Young in the 7th round of the 1990 MLB draft. He quickly moved up through their minor league teams. Just over two years later, he made his debut in the Major Leagues.

MLB Debut and Key Stats

Kevin Young played for 12 seasons in the MLB. He had a career batting average of .258. He hit 144 home runs and had 606 RBI (Runs Batted In). He played in a total of 1,205 games played.

In 1999, Young made history as only the third first baseman ever to achieve certain stats in one season. He had more than 25 home runs, 40 doubles, 20 stolen bases, 100 runs scored, and 100 RBI.

Playing for the Pirates and Royals

Kevin Young spent 11 of his 12 MLB seasons playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was originally drafted by them in 1990. In 1996, he played for his hometown team, the Kansas City Royals.

Young was named Pittsburgh's Minor League Player-of-the-Year in 1991. In 1992, he was recognized as the top prospect in the American Association. He made his Major League debut with the Pirates on July 12, 1992. In his second time at bat, he hit a single off Tim Belcher.

Setting Records and Achievements

In 1993, Young played his first full season with the Pirates. He set a club record with a .998 fielding percentage at first base. This means he made only three errors out of 1,220 chances. He broke the old record set by Willie Stargell. On April 9, 1993, he hit his first big league home run off Rod Beck at Three Rivers Stadium.

During his 11 seasons with the Pirates (1992–1995 and 1997–2003), Young played 1,022 games at first base. He ranks third on the team's all-time list for games played at that position. Only Gus Suhr and Jake Beckley played more games there.

After playing for the Kansas City Royals in 1996, he returned to the Pirates in 1997. That year, he set a career high with a .300 batting average. The next year, 1998, he set new career highs in games played (159), home runs (27), and RBI (108). In 1998, he became one of only three Pirates players to have at least 20 stolen bases, 40 doubles, 25 home runs, 100 runs scored, and 100 RBI in a single season. Dave Parker did it in 1978, and Jason Bay achieved it in 2005.

Versatility on the Field

Kevin Young played his final game with the Pirates on June 27, 2003. He ended his career with a .258 batting average. He had 1,007 hits, including 235 doubles, 17 triples, and 144 home runs. He also had 606 RBI in 1,205 games.

While he was mostly a first baseman, he also played 97 games at third base. He shares an NL record for most assists in a single game (11) at third base with Chris Sabo. Young also played 18 games in right field and 13 games in left field during his MLB career.

Young hit 65 home runs at the famous Three Rivers Stadium. This ranks him fourth on the all-time list for that stadium. Only Willie Stargell, Barry Bonds, and Dave Parker hit more. As a first baseman for the Pirates, Young hit 128 home runs. Only Willie Stargell hit more (184) in a Pirates uniform. In 1997, Kevin Young received the Roberto Clemente Award for his great work in the Pittsburgh community.