Aug. 24, 2004
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Lobo centerfielder Matt Young (Murphy, Texas/Plano East High School) signed a professional contract with the Atlanta Braves organization Monday afternoon (Aug. 23), forgoing his senior season at the University of New Mexico.
Young earned All-Mountain West honors for the second time in his career this past season for the Lobos after leading the team in runs (60) and on-base percentage (.462). He was second in the nation in triples (12 – 0.21 per game) and led the Mountain West with a .517 average with runners in scoring position. Young, who batted .381 for the season, is one of only five Lobos in UNM history to reach the 200-run and 200-hit plateau for his career. For his career, Young is second all-time in UNM history in walks (133), fifth in runs (200) and seventh in triples (17).
This past summer, Young was selected as the Most Outstanding Player of the 2004 Texas Collegiate League Championship Series after leading the Coppell Copperheads to the league title. He batted .272 in 51 games for Coppell during the regular season. He led the league with 39 stolen bases (in 43 attempts), 44 runs scored, and 44 walks, and had the TCL’s third highest on-base percentage at .430. Young also played in the Texas Collegiate League All-Star Game in July and in the Dr. Pepper TCL Futures Game at Ameriquest Field in Arlington.