Washington State Jacob Young highlighted this in his season-in review of the 2024 campaign.[led] According to Baseball Savant, he allowed 19 runs and 21 outs, above average for all of MLB, both of which were the most in a season by an MLB OFE since 2019,” the Nationals noted.
Young, 25, was a second-round pick by the Nats in 2021 (out of the University of Florida) and showed breakout defense in his second year in the majors, appearing in 33 games in 2023. Young appeared in a total of 150 games. Last year, his defensive play earned him a National League Gold Glove nomination.
“In center field,” the club added in a press release about Young’s selection as a finalist, “Young stopped four more runs than the second-place player and had four more outs than his average.” [fellow NL Gold Glove nominee in center, the Rockies’ Brenton Doyle].”:
“Young also led all MLB outfielders with 15 walks and outs on a 25-50 percent catch rate, and seven catches on a 0-25 percent catch rate, leading Major League Baseball with 15 walks and outs. lined up at the top.
“The speedy outfielder had the fastest reaction time (covering his feet in the first 1.5 seconds of the opportunity) in the Statcast era (pre-2016), matching Enrique Hernández’s 4.7-foot mark in 2021. The next closest outfielder in 2024 recorded just 2.4 feet. “
“Jacob Young, I mean, what he’s done this year has been really, really, really great,” Nats manager Davey Martinez told reporters on the final weekend of the season.
“I mean, every day, every time I see him, I say this guy is a Gold Glover.”
“According to FanGraphs,” the Nationals wrote, “…Young also posted a defensive rating of 13.4 among National League center fielders (minimum 1000.0 innings) and was tied for first in defensive runs allowed with 11. .”
The Nationals broadcast team was completely in sync with this call of Jacob Young’s spectacular catch on the wall.
“He’s here, he’s there, he’s everywhere! Jacob Young!” pic.twitter.com/E2vabGTVSa
— Terrible announcement (@awfulpayment) August 16, 2024
Mike Rizzo, general manager and director of baseball operations, said: 106.7 DC Sports Junkie Fans In late August, he thought Young had done everything necessary to establish himself as an elite defender at center this season and win a Gold Glove Award.
“To me, he’s a Gold Glove winner,” Rizzo told Junkies. “A guy who just keeps growing, getting better and better, playing every day, playing with energy, playing hard in the outfield, crashing into walls, not being afraid of fences, walls, anything. I’m really proud of our former seventh-round pick who has really blossomed and become a great addition for us in the future.”
Are Martinez and Rizzo right? Did Young win a Gold Glove for his defensive play at center this season?
If he does:
“Young is about to turn 18.th In the 67-year history of the Rawlings Gold Glove Award, he is only the seventh outfielder to win the award. ”
