The Braves added a former speedster to their staff when they hired Eric Young Sr. as first base coach.
Here are three things to know about Young:
Playing career: Like new Braves bench coach Walt Weiss, Young has strong ties to the Rockies. He debuted with the Dodgers in 1992 before becoming an inaugural Rockie. He homered in the first home at-bat of Rockies history. He was a vital part of the 1995 postseason run and earned All-Star honors a season later. He won the Silver Slugger, hitting .324 with a league-leading 53 steals in 1996.
Young’s career highlight came when he stole second, third and home in an inning against the Dodgers in 1996. He rejoined the Dodgers for the next two seasons, but that would hardly be his last stop. He played for the Cubs, Brewers, Giants, Rangers and Padres before going back to Texas for his final season in 2006.
Previous jobs: Young was an analyst on ESPN's Baseball Tonight. He was a running instructor with the Astros before taking a first-base coach position with the Diamondbacks in 2010. He served in the same capacity on Weiss' Rockies staff from 2014-16.
Something you didn't know about him: Like dad, Eric Young Jr. made a name for himself in Colorado. Junior debuted three seasons after his father's retirement. He played for the Rockies from 2009-13, then joined the Mets for two seasons. He wasn't the base-stealer the elder was, but he snagged 46 bags in 2013 and 30 in 2014.
He played for the Braves in 2015, slashing .169/.229/.273 in 35 games. Young appeared in 135 games for the Angels last season and remains in the system, though not on the 40-man roster. He’ll compete for a fourth outfielder spot in spring training.
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