Chris Young (outfielder)
A powerful and cerebral outfielder who built a 13-year MLB career on explosive home runs, sharp defense, and a Princeton degree.
Born 1983 (age 43)·American baseball player·Birthday: September 5·Millennials
Biography
Chris Young carved out his place in Major League Baseball not just with the raw power that saw him launch over 200 home runs, but with an intellectual approach honed at Princeton University. Drafted by the Chicago White Sox, he was quickly traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he became a cornerstone, earning an All-Star selection in 2010 as part of a 20-20 season. At 6'10", he was a startling presence in center field, using his long strides to cover vast ground and win a Gold Glove. His career was a testament to adaptability, as he evolved from an everyday star into a valued veteran and potent platoon hitter for contending teams like the New York Mets and Boston Red Sox, famously contributing key hits in the 2018 postseason. Young's journey from Ivy League classrooms to World Series dugouts made him one of the game's most distinctive figures.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Chris was born in 1983, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Chris Was Born
The biggest hits of 1983
#1 Movie
Return of the Jedi
Best Picture
Terms of Endearment
#1 TV Show
60 Minutes
Chris's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1983Born
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1988Started school
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1996Became a teenager
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Could drive
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2001Could vote
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2004Turned 21
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2013Turned 30
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 40
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 43 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Selected as a National League All-Star in 2010 while with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
- Won a Gold Glove Award for his defensive excellence in center field in 2010.
- Hit 20+ home runs and stole 20+ bases in the same season twice during his career.
- Played a key role off the bench for the Boston Red Sox during their 2018 World Series championship run.
Did You Know?
He is one of only a handful of MLB players to have graduated from Princeton University.
At 6 feet 10 inches, he is tied for the tallest position player in Major League history.
He hit a home run in his first career World Series at-bat for the Boston Red Sox in 2018.
He was a standout basketball player in high school in Texas, averaging a double-double.
“The game is a series of adjustments, a constant conversation between pitcher and plan.”
