With Crawford and Donovan sidelined, Young has been ASG-worthy in leadoff spot

WASHINGTON -- The approach hasn’t changed for Cole Young since transitioning to the leadoff spot for the Mariners. But the urgency is admittedly higher.

“It's just like, as soon as the game starts, it's an at-bat, so you've got to compete right out of the gate,” the Mariners’ blossoming second baseman said. “Yeah, I mean it's a little different, you know? Usually like hitting eighth or ninth, you wait a couple innings to hit.

“It’s just more so having that mentality of being ready to go right away. So yeah, I love it. I love just like competing right away.”

Young was back at leadoff on Friday, as the Mariners opened a three-game series at Nationals Park -- one day after crushing a first-inning homer in Baltimore. However, his time there might be short-lived, given that J.P. Crawford is expected to soon return from the injured list.

That said, Seattle has been able to withstand Crawford’s absence -- at least at the top of the lineup -- thanks to a productive road trip from Young.

In six games batting leadoff entering Friday, including a May 20 fill-in for Crawford, he’s 9-for-25 (.360) with one walk and just three strikeouts, good for a .429 on-base percentage. Overall through seven games on this trip, he has a .700 OPS (above his full-season .684 OPS).

Beyond Crawford, the Mariners will eventually return Brendan Donovan from the IL, too, giving them at least three capable leadoff hitters.

“Until we're able to get J.P. back, and then BD -- the couple of guys that we've had at the top of the lineup -- [Young’s] done a really nice job,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. “And it's not an easy switch coming from where he was to the leadoff spot. But again, I think that plays into that consistency. He hasn't changed. He hasn't done anything different.”

Young has been one of the club’s best developments in 2026, a season in which he could flirt with an All-Star bid. Voting for the Midsummer Classic is underway, and the first ballot update is expected on Monday.

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He’s cooled some since his scorching April, and the American League competition at second base is getting more crowded, with the likes of Travis Bazzana (Guardians) Jazz Chisholm Jr. (Yankees) and Ernie Clement (Blue Jays). But Young could be in the mix.

Regardless, he’s been an integral piece to Seattle’s lineup, in a “whatever you need from me, skip,” way.

What says so the most is that he’s played every inning over each of Seattle’s first 70 games, along with only Julio Rodríguez and Randy Arozarena -- the club’s other two clearest All-Star candidates.

“Just his maturity,” Wilson said. “He just came into Spring Training a different player, a different person, and that has just continued to carry over. He's not riding the emotional ups and downs. He seems to be in the same place every day, and young players can get carried away with that.”

The stamina factor is particularly promising, especially given that this is Young’s first full season. He might indulge in his late-night video games, but he says he gets nine hours of sleep per night, has focused more extensively on healthy eating and overhauled his offseason conditioning to prepare for these precise rigors.

Once the season began, workouts shifted more to maintenance. He lifts once per series and not nearly to the exertion that he did in the offseason. But he feels -- and looks -- stronger, and it allowed him to seamlessly shift to shortstop for three games this week in Baltimore, when Crawford’s fill-in there -- rookie Colt Emerson -- was out with a back spasm.

He made quite a few athletic plays in the field, too.

“The big thing for me is just having good footwork and making sure my angles to the ball are good,” said Young, who ranks in Statcast’s 80th percentile in Outs Above Average after ranking in the fourth percentile last year. “Just staying athletic, just staying ready for all types of different ground balls.”

Crawford is expected back soon, potentially on Tuesday when he’s first eligible. The veteran said in passing on Friday that, at least right now, the plan is for him to not go on a Minors rehab assignment.

So, Young’s stay in the leadoff role will likely end soon. But it’s been a strong one.