Why Mariners prospect Cole Young is primed for a huge MLB breakout

It’s easy to miss what’s quietly unfolding at the bottom of the Seattle Mariners' lineup. Cole Young, the 21-year-old rookie second baseman, is starting to figure things out. Even if he’s not loading up the box score just yet, the evidence of a breakout is beginning to pile up.

Take Tuesday night, for instance. Young very nearly connected for his first big-league home run, a deep drive at 105.3 mph and 369 feet that would've been a home run in four out of 30 parks. It wasn’t the first time either — his first major league extra-base hit was a ground-rule double during the Mariners’ series in Anaheim, also coming within a few feet of leaving the yard.

These near misses might be frustrating on the surface, but they signal something important: Cole Young is getting closer each at-bat.

Cole Young’s power potential Is becoming hard to ignore

Like many rookies, Young struggled out of the gate. Over his first six games in the majors, some would say he looked overwhelmed — going just 1-for-19 with eight strikeouts. Pitchers challenged him. He clearly pressed and the results weren’t pretty. But since then, things have shifted. Over his last eight games, Young is batting .379 (11-for-29) with just five strikeouts. He's seeing the ball better, adjusting to major league velocity, and most importantly — showing that he belongs.

The surface stats only tell part of the story. What’s really intriguing is the underlying metrics that suggest the power is on its way. Young’s “pull air” rate — the percentage of batted balls that are both pulled and hit in the air — currently sits second on the team behind Cal Raleigh at 30.6 percent.

That number may not mean much at first glance, but it’s a key power indicator. The majority of home runs in baseball are pulled fly balls. When a hitter starts elevating the ball to his pull side, it’s often a sign he’s timing up pitchers and getting in position to do damage.

Young hasn’t hit one out yet, but he’s starting to lift the ball in the right direction. That, combined with his recent improvement in strikeout rate and ability to put the ball in play, suggests it’s only a matter of time.

Sure, his average exit velocities and hard-hit rates still leave more to be desired. He’s not consistently punishing baseballs yet. But remember, this is a player getting his first taste of big-league pitching. The timing, the comfort, and the confidence are coming into place.