Alexander Young: Everything you need to know

Young (elbow) has struck out two batters and has allowed no hits and one walk over two innings across his first two appearances for the Nationals' rookie-level Florida Complex League since signing a minor-league deal with Washington on May 14. Young is back to full health again after he missed all of last season while recovering from elbow surgery, which he underwent March 31, 2025. The Nationals are having the veteran southpaw knock off some rust in the FCL, but it shouldn't be long before he eventually settles in the bullpen at Triple-A Rochester. The 32-year-old Young owns a 4.34 ERA and 1.41 WHIP across 277.2 innings over parts of six career seasons in the majors.

Young (elbow) signed a minor-league contract with the Nationals on Wednesday. Young spent the 2025 campaign in the Reds organization but didn't appear in a game after suffering a season-ending elbow injury during spring training. It's unknown where he currently sits in his recovery, but the Nationals will have him begin his ramp-up process in the Florida Complex League. Once the 32-year-old is built up, he will likely report to Triple-A Rochester and could eventually claim a spot in Washington's bullpen if he pitches well in the minors.

Young revealed in a post on his personal Instagram account that he underwent season-ending surgery on his left elbow March 31. The exact nature of Young's procedure isn't known, but the 31-year-old revealed in his social media post that doctors informed him that he had been unknowingly pitching with a distal tear in his left elbow for the past nine years. His surgery should provide a permanent fix for the compromised ligament, but it's not clear if Young will be back to full health by the time spring training rolls around. Young is under contract on a minor-league deal with Cincinnati and will have the ability to elect free agency after the season.