Mark Young saw 17 seasons as amateur: Baseball Profiles

Mark Young's professional career lasted just two seasons, but his baseball career - in the amateur ranks - lasted much longer.

A native of Minnetonka, Minn., Young returned home after his pro career concluded and returned to the amateur Minnetonka Millers, whom he'd played with starting as a teenager.

Young then went on to play with the Millers for a total of 17 seasons, hit .373 lifetime for the club and become one of the best to play for the club and amateur baseball in Minnesota.

"For the younger players out there who have never heard of Mark Young," Minnesota Amateur Baseball wrote in 2018, "or seen him play, let me tell you that this guy was good. Like, really good."

Young's brief pro baseball career began in 1989, signed by the Rangers as an undrafted free agent out of Mankato State University. He played his high school ball at Minnetonka's Hopkins High.

At Mankato, Young served as a reliever and saved seven games in 1988 and 11 over his two seasons there.

With the Rangers, Young continued pitching with rookie Butte and he continued in relief. He saw 18 relief appearances, picked up three wins, two losses and six saves.

His first save came in late June against Billings, a four-inning effort where he gave up only one hit. His fourth save then came against Salt Lake in mid-July.

Young then went to the Cubs in a late-spring 1990 trade for Bryan House. Assigned to single-A Peoria, Young got into 24 games and ended with a 3.31 ERA and three saves. That season proved his last in pro ball.

Young then returned home to Minnetonka and the Millers. Young played for the Millers from 1984 through 2006, largely at third base. Along the way, he led his teams to four state championships and he made the all-state tournament team five times.

He made the Millers' Hall of Fame in 1998, was named "Miller Player of the Quarter Century" in 1999 and made the Minnesota State Class A Hall of Fame in 2011. His team number was also retired in July 2009, at Mark Young Night.

• Minnesota Amateur Baseball, April 16, 2018: The Miller Player of the 20th Century: Mark Young
• Minnesota Baseball Association: Hall of Fame

More: 1990 Peoria Chiefs

1990 Minor League Tally
Players/Coaches Featured:3,233
Made the Majors:1,165-36.0%
Never Made Majors:2,068-64.0%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors: 483
10+ Seasons in the Minors:284