Jared Young is now property of the Chicago Cubs.
The defending World Series champs selected the 21-year-old Prince George born-and-raised second baseman Wednesday in the 15th round (465th overall) of the Major League Baseball draft.
Young, one of just 20 Canadians drafted, recently finished off a stellar season as a junior playing for the Old Dominion Monarchs, based in Norfolk, Va.
For Young, being drafted is like winning the lottery.
"What a day – going to the defending World Series champs, not too bad," said Young.
Young wasn't a Cubs fan before today, but he certainly is now.
"I had a phone call with a guy who works for the Cubbies and we chatted a bit," said Young. "There was some interest and I knew going in that they were a team I talked to and I'm glad it all came to fruition."
Young made a great impression in his first season in the NCAA Division 1 ranks since moving up from junior college Connors State in Oklahoma. He led the Monarchs in 11 offensive categories, including batting average (.367), triples (four), home runs (seven), runs (57), stolen bases (nine) and OPS, or on-base plus slugging percentage (1.021). He was also hit by 18 pitches, an ODU school record. His .433 batting average in Conference USA games led the league. He was also solid defensively, posting a .974 fielding percentage with just six errors in 58 games.
The Monarchs finished second in the conference and ended the season with a 37-21 record, their best showing since 2006. Their season ended in May at the conference tournament in Biloxi, Miss., where they went 1-2.
Last month, Young was picked as the Conference USA newcomer of the year and earned first-team all-conference honours. The sports management major was also named to the Conference USA all-academic team.
"I'm proud of how hard I've worked, it hasn't been an easy road but it seems like it's paid off," Young said.
Later Wednesday, Young found out he'd been picked a Perfect Game/Rawlings Honorable Mention All-American.
Young was the second Old Dominion player picked in this year's draft. Shortstop Zach Rutherford went in the sixth round Tuesday to the Tampa Bay Rays. Young was at his home in Virginia with Rutherford, monitoring the progress of the draft.
"I was sitting on the couch with Zach, my best bud here, when it popped up on his phone and he said 'You just went to the Cubs.'"
Young played minor baseball in Prince George until he was 16. As a 15th-rounder, Young becomes the highest pick of any Prince George player in the history of the MLB draft.
Catcher/third baseman Brooklyn Foster was picked in 2009 by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 43rd round, while he was playing junior ball with the Langley Blaze.
In 2000, left-handed pitcher Ryan Lupul went in the 48th round to the Texas Rangers. At that time, Lupul was playing for North Idaho College in Coeur d'Alene.
Right-handed pitcher Simon Stoner was picked twice. In 1997 the Toronto Blue Jays selected him in the 36th round, while he was still playing junior ball for the Prince George Grays. He did not sign with the Jays and in 1998, while attending school at Pasco-Hernando Community College in Port Richey, Fla., Stoner was the 27th-round choice of the Anaheim Angels.
Now that he's on the Cubs' protected list, Young said he wasn't sure if that will lead to any opportunities to play in any developmental league games this summer.
"We just have to keep everything in-house, there's not much info yet," he said.
