Six-year-old Quentin Young is sitting as one of 50,000 at Dodger Stadium during a weekend series. Different from the other spectators, he is watching a family member go to work.
His uncle Delmon is in the midst of going 8-for-16 over four games against the Dodgers while trying to get the Phillies back into some form of playoff conversation in late June of 2013.
It is one of many times seeing his uncle Delmon play, but the first and only time seeing him at Dodger Stadium, the closest park in proximity to where he grew up at the divide between Los Angeles and Ventura County where the Young’s have made a name for themselves in the baseball world.
Delmon is now a decade removed from being the first overall selection out of Camarillo, while his older brother and Quentin’s eldest uncle Dmitri is 22 years separated from his fourth overall selection out of Oxnard in 1991 — though, Dmitri has not played in the Majors for five years at this point, with his final MLB game being when Quentin was 16-months-old.
Fast forward 13 years, the roles have now been reversed, as Delmon and Dmitri go watch young Quentin as he is carving his own path towards becoming the third Young to claim the title of “first-round pick.”
“I’ve always gone to watch their games and now they come to watch mine,” Young said.
Ric Tapia – The Sporting Tribune
Quentin Young poses for a portrait at Oaks Christian School on May 13, 2025 in Westlake Village, California.
Now a senior at Oaks Christian School in Westlake Village, California, Young is a standout draft prospect for the 2025 MLB Draft, ranking within the top 50 prospects from multiple media affiliates, with reasonable anticipation of being selected in the first 43 selections in July, making him a first-round pick.
Built tall and physical at six-foot-six and 225 pounds, the young shortstop and center fielder is praised for his prodigious power that is already seen as a plus tool and projects to improved.
Young started the season off strong, hitting nine home runs in the first 12 games of his senior season, and ending with 14, a new school-record.
His 14 home runs rank second among high schoolers in California, and ninth across the nation.
“Going into the year I didn’t think I was going to hit this many,” Young said. “I’m happy I did though. I put so much work into where I am now so I’m happy about it.”
Ric Tapia – The Sporting Tribune
Quentin Young poses for a portrait at Oaks Christian School on May 13, 2025 in Westlake Village, California.
With the home runs came professional scouts flooding in to see Young wherever he played. Though some of this was expected after his strong performances with USA Baseball’s 18U team and the showcase circuit the summer before his senior year, the amount became a surprise for Young.
“That’s the hardest part for everyone,” Young said. “It was a lot of stress at the beginning but after a while I got used to it.”
Part of that stress may have caused pressure to be aggressive which in turn, may have caused 12 strikeouts in his first 12 games. Though, as the season went on and new faces joined the crowd, his swing-and-miss did the opposite and dissipated, with only 11 strikeouts in his next 17 games, along with 20 walks.
“Just having it in my mind that someone is going to be there watching,” said Young, “but I just need to stick to my gameplan and not try to do too much. I feel like I don’t have (a weakness in my game). I could always work on a lot of new things just to help get better, but I feel like I got everything down and can keep working to get stronger in each area.
“It’s always going to be hard. There are always things that come up throughout the season that you might not know what happens, but I think for me with all that stuff coming through I’m just able to minimize it a lot with schoolwork, baseball, and then everything else. Just being able to minimize it and get everything down in the right amount of time and make sure I can still focus on what I need to do.”
Ric Tapia – The Sporting Tribune
Quentin Young poses for a portrait at Oaks Christian School on May 13, 2025 in Westlake Village, California.
As part of his growing, having those who have been in his position before aided Young over the course of the season. Uncommon for most his age, Quentin has 2,500 games of big-league experience sitting in his corner, as well as others who have aided him through the draft process.
“They’ve done a lot for me,” Quentin said of his uncles. “Basically, other than my grandpa, they’ve taught me (the most) about baseball — I would say on the mental side and playing side. They’ve been with me since I was little.”
The Young family legacy is likely most well-known for his two uncles, Delmon and Dmitri, who have a combined 23 years of Major League experience, along with 37 combined seasons across forms of professional baseball. Though, the legacy also carries into his aunt DeAnn who played four years of softball at Oregon State (and is rumored to be the best athlete of the group), his grandfather Larry who was one of the first Black F-14 fighter pilots, and his mother who is a school therapist.
Carrying on the Young family legacy is now Quentin. Whether he is drafted and signed out of high school, or if it comes three years away after time spent at Louisiana State University (LSU), there will be a third Young playing in professional baseball and enroute to a big-league career, potentially all three claiming the title of first-round draftee.
“That’s always been my goal since I was little,” said Young. “To play in the Majors. Being able to sign and get into pro ball would be one of my greatest achievements for now that will just continue into setting goals for the future.”
Ric Tapia – The Sporting Tribune
Quentin Young poses for a portrait at Oaks Christian School on May 13, 2025 in Westlake Village, California.