Jacob Young

Outfielder Jacob Young and the Washington Nationals agreed to a four-year, $23 million contract extension on Friday that includes an $8 million option for a fifth season, a source familiar with the deal told Robert Murray of FanSided. The deal helps the Nats avoid salary arbitration for the first time with Young. The 27-year-old is more glove and speed than bat, as he is considered one of the better defensive center fielders in the game. Although the former seventh-rounder in 2021 from the University of Florida does not have much power at the plate, he does have enough speed to make him fantasy-relevant in deeper leagues. Young stole a career-high 33 bases for the Nats in his first full season in 2024 and has at least 15 steals in the last two seasons. The 2026 campaign was one of his better showings at the plate, hitting .252/.318/.390 with a career-high .707 OPS, a career-high 10 home runs, 50 RBI, 57 runs scored, and 18 stolen bases in 140 games across 471 plate appearances. Fantasy managers seeking power from an outfielder will want to avoid Young, as he has hit just 15 home runs in his four big-league seasons since debuting with Washington in 2023.