Kevin Young (baseball) facts for kids

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

Kevin Young also received the Roberto Clemente Award in Pittsburgh. This special award goes to an MLB player who shows great sportsmanship. It also recognizes their involvement in the community and how much they help their team.

Early Baseball Days

When Kevin Young was 17, he played on a Kansas City American Legion team. His team finished 24th in the nation. This was out of 5,000 teams!

College Baseball Achievements

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

Later, he attended the University of Southern Mississippi. He was an All-American there too. He helped his team, the Golden Eagles, reach their first Regional tournament in 1990.

Professional Baseball Career

Kevin Young was chosen by the Pirates in the 7th round of the 1990 MLB draft. He quickly moved up through their minor league teams. He made his MLB debut just over two years later.

In his 12-season career, Kevin had a .258 batting average. He hit 144 home runs and had 606 RBI. He played in 1,205 games played.

Making History in 1999

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

When he retired in 2003, he was the last player left on the Pittsburgh Pirates who had played on a winning team with the club. His rookie year in 1992 was their last winning season before a long streak of losing seasons.

Debut and Early Records

Kevin was drafted by the Pirates in 1990. He spent 11 seasons playing for them. He also played for his hometown Kansas City Royals in 1996.

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

In 1993, Kevin 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 Willie Stargell's old record. Kevin also hit his first big league home run on April 9, 1993.

Time with the Pirates and Royals

Kevin played 1,022 games at first base for the Pirates. This ranks him third on the team's all-time list for that position. Only Gus Suhr and Jake Beckley played more games there.

He spent the 1996 season with the Kansas City Royals. Then he returned to the Pirates for the 1997 season. In 1997, he set a career high with a .300 batting average. The next year, 1998, he had career highs in games (159), home runs (27), and RBI (108).

In 1998, he was one of only three Pirates players to achieve a special feat. He had 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 did it in 2005.

Versatility and Retirement

Kevin played 12 seasons in the Major Leagues. His final game with the Pirates was on June 27, 2003. He finished his career with a .258 batting average. He had 1,007 hits, 235 doubles, 17 triples, 144 home runs, and 606 RBI in 1,205 games.

While mostly a first baseman, he also played 97 games at third base. He shares an NL record for most assists in a single game at third base (11). He also played 18 games in right field and 13 games in left field.

Kevin hit 65 home runs at the historic 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 there. As a first baseman for the Pirates, only Willie Stargell hit more home runs than Kevin Young.

In 1997, Kevin Young received the Roberto Clemente Award. This was for his important contributions to the Pittsburgh community.