Former All-Star outfielder Chris Young is joining MLB Network as an on-air analyst and will make his debut on MLB Tonight on Memorial Day, the network announced in a press release this morning. He becomes the second recently retired big leaguer to join the network’s roster in recent weeks. Yonder Alonso was announced as a new analyst for MLB Network just under a month ago.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to join the squad to talk baseball, mix in a little trash talk, have some fun and get my feet wet in the industry,” Young said in a statement within today’s announcement. “Being fresh out of the game, I’ve followed it closely and am ready for this new challenge. I played for seven different teams in my career and I can’t wait to get started with my eighth.”
Young’s last MLB action came with the 2018 Angels, when he played through a hip injury that ultimately required surgery. He hit just .168/.252/.363 in 128 trips to the plate that season, but his overall body of work through parts of 13 MLB seasons was solid. Young finished fourth in 2007 NL Rookie of the Year voting with the D-backs, made the All-Star team in 2010, and for years was a big league regular with an enticing blend of power and speed. Young belted 191 homers and swiped 142 bases, tallying a trio of 20-20 seasons along the way. Overall, he batted .235/.314/.428 with above-average defensive ratings in center.