Ray Young (minors03)

Raymond Cedrick Young

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 3", Weight 180 lb.
• School Moorpark College
• High School Carson High School
• Born May 27, 1964 in Los Angeles, CA USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Pitcher Ray Young began his professional career at 20 years old in 1984 and played on-and-off until 2004, when he was 40. He played for 15 different teams in 11 different leagues in 5 different countries. He struck out nearly eight batters per nine innings, surrendered few home runs and averaged less than a hit allowed per frame, but had a very difficult time finding the plate. He walked more batters than he struck out.

Dodgers system, 1984-1986

Undrafted, he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers and started his career with the rookie level Great Falls Dodgers in 1984. In 47 1/3 innings spread over 13 games (8 starts), he was 3-2 with a 7.23 ERA. He struck out 47 batters and walked 46. With the Single A Bakersfield Dodgers in 1985, he went 1-9 with a 5.70 mark in 19 games (17 starts). Despite allowing just 61 hits and 7 home runs, while striking out 81 batters, in 85 1/3 innings, he walked 111 batters and threw 12 wild pitches. It was a similar tale in 1986. Back with Bakersfield, he was 1-5, 9.24 in 12 games (8 starts). In 38 innings, he walked 47 batters and threw 7 wild pitches. Combined, he went 5-16 with a 6.91 ERA in 44 games (33 starts) in those three seasons. In 170 2/3 innings, he allowed 161 hits, 14 home runs, 204 walks and 22 wild pitches, while striking out 155 batters.

Blue Jays system, 1987

Young righted himself a bit in 1987 after joining the Toronto Blue Jays system by way of the 1986 Rule V Draft (Triple A phase). In 34 games (5 starts) with the Single A Dunedin Blue Jays, he went 3-2 with a 2.64 ERA. In 95 1/3 innings, he allowed just 62 hits and 3 home runs, while striking out 69 batters. He still walked 72 and threw 10 wild pitches.

Athletics system, 1988-1990

He made significant progress in the Oakland Athletics system, being named a top prospect and progressing all the way to Triple A. He joined the Oakland chain in 1988, spending the year with the Single A Modesto A's. It was a typical Ray Young season - 8-7 with a 5.56 ERA in 25 games (19 starts); in 98 2/3 innings, he allowed just 70 hits and 3 dingers, while striking out 78 batters. But he walked 142, threw 28 wild pitches and balked 11 times. He led the California League in wild pitches, finished second in BBs (one behind Paul Abbott) and second in balks (one behind Mike Erb). Despite his middling performance, he moved up a level for 1989, advancing to the Double A Huntsville Stars. It was a successful campaign. In 29 games (27 starts), he went 13-6 with a 3.93 ERA; in 146 2/3 innings, he allowed 112 hits and 2 homers, while striking out 163 batters (one behind the league leader, Shawn Boskie). His walk rate dropped to its lowest level yet (still 6.7 per nine innings), as he surrendered 109 bases on balls. He also threw 12 wild pitches and balked 12 times, leading the Southern League in the latter category. His performance prompted Baseball America to rank him the #4 prospect in the A's chain going into 1990, between Felix Jose and Scott Hemond, and Oakland to move him to Triple A. With the Tacoma Tigers in 1990, he went 14-7 with a 4.20 ERA in 28 games (27 starts). His walk rate dropped to 5.7 BB/9 IP as he allowed just 105 and though he balked a career-high 16 times, his wild pitches dropped to 9. In 165 innings, he allowed 155 hits and 8 home runs, while striking out 137 batters. He led the 1990 Pacific Coast League in strikeouts, walks and balks and was second in wins to Jeff Bittiger's 15. At one point in the season, Baseball America named him the best prospect in the PCL.

Seibu Lions, Japan, 1991-1992

Rather than wait for the chance to reach the Major Leagues, Young inked a deal with the Seibu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan for 1991. He made just 5 starts over two seasons with them. In the first campaign, he was 1-1 with a 3.72 ERA in 2 starts; in 1992, he was 0-1, 8.10 in 3 starts. In 19 2/3 innings combined, he allowed 23 walks.

Padres, Athletics, Marlins systems and Taiwan, 1993-1994

Young became an itinerant after his stay in Japan, playing for four teams in three countries between 1993 and 1994. He spent 1993 with the Triple-A Las Vegas Stars of the San Diego Padres system, going 1-2 with a 6.10 ERA in 14 relief appearances. Back in the Athletics system in 1994, he was 1-3, 7.23 in 8 games (4 starts) for the Tacoma Tigers; he also had a 5.40 ERA in 2 starts for the Edmonton Trappers of the Florida Marlins system. He was in the PCL for all three stops. He moved across the Pacific for a game, as well, making a single start for the Uni-President Lions of the Chinese Professional Baseball League in Taiwan; he allowed 7 hits and 4 earned runs in 3 innings for the loss.

Indy ball, Orioles system, Mexico and Indy ball again, 1997-2004

After not pitching professionally in 1995 or 1996, he returned to the mound with the independent Minot Mallards of the Prairie League in 1997, going 4-3 with a 2.97 ERA in 9 games (4 starts). In 33 1/3 innings, he allowed just 26 hits and 13 walks for a respectable 1.170 WHIP. He also had 35 strikeouts. He briefly joined the Baltimore Orioles system for 1998, going 0-2 with a 8.03 ERA in 5 games (1 starts) for the Triple A Rochester Red Wings. He did not pitch professionally in 1999. He returned with the Piratas de Campeche of the Mexican League in 2000, going 2-4 with a 5.53 ERA in 8 starts; he allowed 36 walks in 40 2/3 innings. After sitting out 2001 to 2003, he returned for 3 relief appearances with the independent Atlantic City Surf of the Atlantic League in 2004, allowing 5 runs in 6 innings.

Career totals

Overall, Young went 45-45 with a 4.98 ERA in 189 games (118 starts) over 10 seasons in affiliated ball. In 743 innings, he allowed 653 hits and just 38 home runs, while striking out 656 batters. He allowed 665 walks, threw 88 wild pitches and balked 50 times. In four seasons of foreign ball, spent in Japan, China and Mexico, he was 3-7 with a 5.97 ERA in 14 starts. In 63 1/3 innings, he allowed 67 hits and 61 walks, while striking out 50 batters. In indy ball, he made 12 appearances (4 starts), going 4-3 with a 3.66 ERA. He allowed 33 hits and 20 walks in 39 1/3 innings, while striking out 38 batters.

All told, he played 15 seasons. He was a combined 52-55 with a 4.99 ERA in 215 games (136 starts). In 845 2/3 frames, he allowed 753 hits, 47 home runs, 746 walks, 99 wild pitches and 51 balks. He had 744 strikeouts. His allowed-per-nine-innings ratios were as follows: 8.0 hits, 0.5 home runs, 7.9 walks and 7.9 strikeouts.

He was also a proficient batsmen, hitting .281 in 32 career at-bats. He had a .364 mark in 22 at-bats in 1985.

Post-playing career

Young has established and run multiple foundations, including a baseball mentoring foundation and the Mandatory 8 Count Cancer Foundation.

Further Reading

• Ray Young, Nasty-Looking Stuff - 578
• Mandatory 8 Count Cancer Foundation
• Ray Young's LinkedIn