By Ethan Ready

Back to the Diamond

Prince George’s Jared Young optimistic ahead of anticipated return to the diamond

Jan 8, 2021 | 5:39 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – For Jared Young, it’s been the longest off-season he’s ever had to endure.

Coming off of his first season with the Tennessee Smokies of the Southern League, the first baseman was ready and eager to get the 2020 campaign underway. Having spent time with the Chicago Cubs for spring training before starting minor league training afterwards, the season was derailed due to the pandemic just as he felt he was picking up steam.

“Everything was just done,” Young told CKPGToday.ca. “The complex was shut down. Everywhere we go, no one was allowed in. It was ‘stay at home, we’ll keep you posted’ kind of thing. And that was really the only words we got for a couple of months.”

Without a season, and ultimately a source of income, the Prince George product was able to benefit from the Chicago Cubs providing financial support to its minor league players.

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“The Cubs were great. Throughout the entire what would have been the regular season, they took care of us. It wasn’t full compensation but they helped. They helped guys with stuff like rent.”

With the hope that Spring Training will start on time this year, Young has the expectation of himself to prove to the Cubs that he’s been ready to play this entire time.

“There’s so much stuff in life, and even in baseball, that’s way out of your control,” explained Young. “For not playing for an entire year, who knows what’s going to happen when we come back, but if you come back and you’re in shape and you look like you were working this entire time, I think only good things can happen.”

While so much remains up in the air, the 25-year-old is remaining optimistic ahead of an anticipated return to the diamond.

“Definitely just thinking that right around the corner I’m going to be playing again, and right around the corner things are going to go back to normal,” said Young. “Whether those things are true are not, personally I just need to be super tough mentally and stick to this little routine that I’ve set out for myself.”

“It’s a weird time, it feels like I’m unemployed and I don’t have a job, but as long as I’m working to get a little bit better than it’s like ‘okay, I have a plan.”