Throughout the 2017-2018 offseason, The Drop will be profiling and scouting the top players under 25 in the game.
Connor Young (RHP)
After taking the 2016 season off, Young came back in 2017 and was fantastic on the mound. His 78 innings pitched lead MAW and he recorded every out for his team in the regular season. He's got a plus-plus drop and a plus riser. Connor keeps hitters off balance with an eephus like curveball but doesn't go to that well very often. I worry a little bit about his violent delivery possibly leading to an injury but with ERL's recent pick up of Blake Hoffman, Young won't have to carry all of the pitching in ’18. The reduced workload should go a long way to keeping his arm healthy. It is a cliche, but when Young is on, he's almost impossible to beat.
At the plate, Young's quick hands provide him with really good power. I'd like to see a little more patience because he could be an on-base machine but thus far into his career, his aggressive approach has netted him more positives than negatives. Joe Schlindwein's growth at the plate should also provide Young with more protection. If Blake Hoffman can hit at all, teams won't be able to pitch around Young as often, allowing him to get more pitches in the strike zone to hit and reduce the pressure to chase pitches off the plate. If he becomes a little more selective, Young could transform from a very good hitter into an excellent one.
Defensively, we haven't seen him anywhere else other than on the mound. As a pitcher, he fields his position well, thanks to quick reaction times and soft hands. With Hoffman aboard next season, we will get a chance to see how Young takes to other positions on defense. He has plenty of arm strength to go with the range and accuracy necessary to handle any position on the field.