Delwyn Young

Young experienced both the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat on a professional level in 2009. After coming cheap to Pittsburgh in a trade with the Dodgers, Young opened some eyes with his clutch pinch-hitting abilities early in the season. Then, with starting second baseman Freddy Sanchez dealt to San Francisco, the Pirates tried to make Young a major league caliber second baseman in the middle of the season. He batted .311 through Aug. 25, but hit just .155 (in 103 at-bats) the rest of the way. The Bucs acquired second baseman Akinori Iwamura in the offseason, moving Young back into the outfield mix as a backup player. As a result, Young's 2010 role has been reduced to that of a part-time player and pinch-hitter extraordinaire.

After hitting an impressive .337/.384/.571 for Triple-A Las Vegas in 2007, Young failed to build on that promise this past season, hitting just .246/.321/.341 in 126 at-bats for the Dodgers. Young was slowed by a strained oblique for a good portion of the year, however, and most scouts don't doubt his ability to hit at the big league level. Young, though, is a man without a position and likely won't be much more than a part-time player in 2009.

After posting a .955 OPS in Triple-A and going 13-for-34 with four extra-base hits for the Dodgers in September, Young figures to have an excellent chance to make the big league club this year. He won't win a starting role in a crowded Dodgers outfield, but Young appears to have the inside track at being the club's fourth outfielder and primary pinch-hitter. Young needs to improve defensively, but at this point, there's little doubt that his bat will play at the big league level.

After his defense necessitated a move from second base to the oufield, Young appears to be an extreme longshot to make a major league impact with the Dodgers. He remains a decent prospect and perhaps some team looking at his 98 RBI this year will attempt to pry him from the Dodgers and give him a job as a fourth outfielder.

Despite solid hitting numbers across the board throughout his minor league career, Young hasn't received much hype as a prospect. One reason for that is his defense is considered to be subpar at second base, and a position change is likely in the offing. With the Dodgers signing Rafael Furcal, having Cesar Izturis under contract and Joel Guzman in the pipeline, he's unlikely to be a significant part of their long-term plans.

Young showed very nice power for a second baseman at high Single-A Vero Beach in 2004. Some question his ability to stay at second, but because he's shown good power, a move to the outfield wouldn't severely harm his prospect status. He'll head to Double-A to start the season.