July 9, 2023 is one birthday Jared Young will never forget.
He started his 28th year on an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City, but he wasn’t there for a holiday.
Called up a few weeks earlier to the Chicago Cubs, the Cubs started Young that day at first base to wrap up a series against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium, the final game before the league shut down for the four-day all-star break.
The Cubs won it 7-4 and Young did his part. In front of crowd of 43,761, he was flawless defensively, hit a ground ball that scored a run and in the ninth inning he singled, stole a base, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Tucker Barnhart’s double.
“I was able to tally a few boxes on my 28th birthday, so that was a special day,” said Young.
The second callup of his major league career happened in June and Young got off to a blazing start which endeared him to the Wrigley Field faithful. In his first at-bat in the fourth inning against Philadelphia June 28 he connected on an 0-2 pitch from Aaron Nola for hit his first major league home run. In his next two games, Young tripled.
“That was fun, it’s kind of what you work for your whole life, and then to get back and feel like I was in spot I could really contribute and play well was really nice,” said Young. “I think it’s one thing to play and it’s another thing to stay and play well, and that’s the next step I’m looking forward to kind of take.”
Young had just two hits in 26 at-bats in 10 games in July and was hitting .171 at mid-month when he was sent back to triple-A. He got back in the groove over the next two months and was one of the I-Cubs’ top batters, hitting .310 when Chicago recalled him as an injury replacement.
His first game back, Sept. 19, he hit a pinch-hit triple against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Then on Sept. 21 against Colorado he showed his power again with a two-run shot that travelled 432 feet into Wrigley stands, one of the longest home runs for any player in the Cubs’ system this season.
Young came back home to Prince George for a 10-day Thanksgiving visit with his family and friends. He brought with him a few bats that have his name engraved as a member of the Chicago Cubs.
“People ask me for bats all the time (in triple-A) and when I only have three of them, no, you can’t have one,” he said. “I finally got to a point in my career when I can bring some bats home and give them away to people and Prince George Minor Baseball (as a raffle item).
“It’s something that never gets old to me.”
