Dmitri Dell Young (born October 11, 1973) is an American former professional baseball player. He played all or parts of 13 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a left fielder, first baseman, and designated hitter, for the St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers, and Washington Nationals from 1996 through 2008. He is a two-time All-Star and winner of the National League Comeback Player of the Year Award. His younger brother, Delmon Young, also played in MLB.
High school career
Young attended Rio Mesa High School in Oxnard, California. He never hit below a .400 batting average while playing in high school and earned USA Today High School All-American honors in his senior season.
Young initially committed to play college baseball for the Miami Hurricanes.
Minor leagues
The St. Louis Cardinals selected Young in the first round, with the fourth overall selection, in the 1991 Major League Baseball draft. Early in his professional career, Young's weight raised concerns. In 1994, a Cardinals farm director told the Los Angeles Times that the organization worried he might "eat himself out a major league career." At the time, he weighed .
In 1995, Young punched a fan who had been heckling him, which earned him a suspension from the Texas League.
Finally, in 1996, he had a big year at Triple-A Louisville, batting .333, being chosen as a Triple-A All-Star first baseman and the St. Louis Cardinals Minor League Player of the Year. He was called up at the end of the season and played a few games with St. Louis in the majors.
Major league career
Cardinals and Reds: 1996–2001
Young's first full season in Major League Baseball was with the Cardinals in 1997, in which he hit .258. After the season, he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds for Jeff Brantley. Eight days later, he was selected by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the expansion draft, then traded back to the Reds for Mike Kelly. While with the Reds, Young hit over .300 in each year (finishing second in doubles in 1998, and hitting 21 home runs in 2001). During those years, he played primarily the outfield and at first base.
Tigers: 2002–06
After the 2001 season, he was traded by the Reds to the Detroit Tigers for Luis Pineda and Juan Encarnación. In 2003, he hit .297, with 29 home runs, and 7 triples (10th in the league). He was the Tigers' lone representative at the 2003 MLB All-Star Game, although he did not make an appearance on the field or in the batter's box.
On May 6, 2003, Young went 5–5 against the Baltimore Orioles hitting two homers and two triples, and a single. When he came up to bat in the ninth, he was a double short of the cycle. Instead, he hit his second triple of the night off Buddy Groom. "It crossed my mind, but since the game was close, my individual accomplishment took a back seat," Young said. "The run is the important thing."
On April 4, 2005, Young joined George Bell and Tuffy Rhodes as the only players to hit three home runs on Opening Day in Detroit's 11–2 win over the visiting Kansas City Royals. Young, along with Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera, former Royals Designated Hitter Kendrys Morales, and Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager, are the only players to hit three home runs in one game at Comerica Park—one of the more difficult home run stadiums. He was also known as "Da Meat Hook" and "The Big D" to Tigers fans.
Young appeared at World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)'s Survivor Series 2005 in an interview segment with Edge and Lita. Edge made fun of the Detroit Tigers, saying that they sucked, while Young cracked jokes at Edge concerning his failures on capturing a World Title.
2006
In 2006, Young went through a divorce, and was treated for alcohol and substance abuse and depression. He pleaded guilty to assault after an argument in Birmingham, Michigan.
On May 17, 2006, the Detroit Free Press reported that Young faced a misdemeanor domestic violence charge. Young subsequently voluntarily spent 30 days in a rehabilitation facility, Promises Malibu, and three weeks working out with minor league teams. On June 13, 2006, Young failed to appear for a pretrial hearing on this matter and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest. Ten days later, he pleaded no contest to the domestic violence charges.