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Colorado Rockies: Top Five Second Basemen in Franchise History

ByNoah Yingling|
DENVER, CO - MAY 05: Manager Walt Weiss #22 of the Colorado Rockies challenges a call by umpire Kerwin Danley on a play at first base against the Texas Rangers as DJ LeMahieu #9 and Eric Young #21 of the Colorado Rockies looks on in the second inning during Interleague play at Coors Field on May 5, 2014 in Denver, Colorado. Danley called DJ LeMahieu #9 of the Colorado Rockies out and the call was overturned after video replay as the Rockies defeated the Rangers 8-2. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - MAY 05: Manager Walt Weiss #22 of the Colorado Rockies challenges a call by umpire Kerwin Danley on a play at first base against the Texas Rangers as DJ LeMahieu #9 and Eric Young #21 of the Colorado Rockies looks on in the second inning during Interleague play at Coors Field on May 5, 2014 in Denver, Colorado. Danley called DJ LeMahieu #9 of the Colorado Rockies out and the call was overturned after video replay as the Rockies defeated the Rangers 8-2. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
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8 May 1997: Second baseman Eric Young of the Colorado Rockies throws the ball as first baseman Mark Johnson of the Pittsburgh Pirates slides into the base at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado. The Pirates won the game 10-8. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bahr/Allsport (Getty).
8 May 1997: Second baseman Eric Young of the Colorado Rockies throws the ball as first baseman Mark Johnson of the Pittsburgh Pirates slides into the base at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado. The Pirates won the game 10-8. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bahr/Allsport (Getty).

Number 2: Eric Young (9.5 bWAR, 12.3 fWAR, 5 seasons as a Rockie, 456 games at 2B)

Eric Young was the Rockies 1st second baseman as the Rockies drafted Young in the 1992 expansion draft from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In 1994, though, he only played one game at second base as he mainly played left field. Nelson Liriano was the primary second baseman.

He was relegated to bench duty for the first part of 1995 and he split the season between second base and left field. He received more starting duties when regular second baseman Jason Bates got injured in late June. Entering the month of July, Young was hitting a meager .149/.275/.194.

However, he went on a torrid stretch for the rest of the season as he hit .355/.434/.535 with six homers and 29 RBI with 38 walks compared to only 22 strikeouts in 75 games.

That performance helped get the Rockies to the playoffs via the NL Wild Card for the first time in franchise history.

In 1996, he put up similar numbers as for the entirety of the season, he hit .324/.393/.421 with eight home runs, 74 RBI, and 53 stolen bases. He was an All-Star and also won a Silver Slugger Award.

By 1997, though, the Rockies traded Young in the middle of the season to the Dodgers for pitcher Pedro Astacio.

He finished his tenure with the Rockies hitting .295/.378/.412 with an OPS+ of 93.

Young played for six more teams through 2006 and then he retired from baseball. He became a studio analyst for ESPN’s Baseball Tonight for a few years before becoming a coach.

He was a first base and baserunning coach for the Diamondbacks under Kirk Gibson and later, he joined former Rockies teammate Walt Weiss’s staff with the Rockies in the same position from 2014 through 2016. When Weiss was fired, Young left the staff as well. He joined Weiss on the Atlanta Braves coaching staff where he remains today.

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