Young Gun : Switch-Hitter from Rio Mesa High Has Impressed the St. Louis Cardinals With His Bat

Dmitri Young has learned that while one swing can create some noise, it is volume that develops a hitter.

One swing after another, off a tee, in the batting cage and wherever Young finds himself in the batting order is making him a consistent major league hitter.

Young burst into the national spotlight last October by belting a screaming drive over the head of Atlanta Braves left fielder Ryan Klesko for a two-run, seventh-inning triple that keyed the St. Louis Cardinals’ 4-3 victory in Game 4 of the National League championship series.

For all of one whirlwind postgame interview session, he was inspected, dissected and liberally quoted while squinting into television cameras.

The oddity of his six-year varsity high school career that included two years at a small Alabama school and four at Rio Mesa was noted.

The discipline learned as the son of a fighter pilot was pointed out.

So was his pedigree as a first-round draft choice who led the triple-A American Assn. in batting before being called up late in the season.

Oh, to be Young and on top of the world, even for just one day.

“That was a great moment, one I’ll never forget,” he said. “I got into a good situation where I could prove myself to the coaching staff. But every year you have to prove yourself.”

Rest on his single laurel and Young, 23, might have found himself back in the minor leagues this year.

But he spent all spring impressing his coaches and teammates with a singular work ethic.

“The light’s really come on with him,” Manager Tony La Russa said. “He’s working at things, executing the little things. He’s turned an important corner in his career because of his preparation.”

Young is batting .280 despite shuffling from second to eighth in the order. He has hit second nine times and third, fourth and fifth seven times each.

On Saturday in the second game of a doubleheader against the Cleveland Indians, Young batted seventh and went two for three with a run batted in.

“I do things the same no matter where I’m batting,” Young said. “When I’m hitting second I see more fastballs when [leadoff hitter] Delino Deshields gets on base. But I don’t change my swing when I’m hitting third or fourth.”

La Russa likes the way Young, a 6-foot-2, 235-pound switch-hitter, uses the whole field.

Exhibit A was the opposite-field drive against the Braves that was Young’s first extra-base hit in the majors.

“He’s proven he’s a legit hitter with a lot of versatility,” La Russa said. “He can move around to meet our needs on a given day. I can bat him fourth and it doesn’t bother him. Nothing intimidates him.”

A strained left calf muscle set him back, however. Young spent two weeks on the disabled list in May and only now feels his swing is back on track.

“Going two weeks without seeing live pitching hurts at the big league level,” he said. “I came back with a couple of flaws in my swing.”

Still, Young doubled in his first at-bat upon being activated and a few days later had a career-high four hits and four runs batted in against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

It’s that kind of production that has La Russa convinced Young is bound for stardom.

“He’s one of the best young hitters in the league,” La Russa said. “He hit .333 in triple A and I think eventually he will do the same here.”

Young hasn’t displayed much power yet--he has two home runs--but La Russa projects him as producing 15-20 homers a season.

An April 3 blast against Montreal Expos’ left-hander Carlos Perez was Young’s first major league home run.

“That was pretty cool, actually,” Young said. “I’ve got more power from the right side because it’s my natural side.”

Coming less natural is defense.

After experiments at third base and the outfield in the minors, he has played only first base this season, making seven errors.

“My glove is coming along,” he said. “[Infielder] Mike Gallego and [coach] Carney Lansford have helped me a lot.”

Playing on the veteran-laden Cardinals has been a plus. Outfielder Willie McGee is especially close to Young.

“On this club so many guys are helping each other,” La Russa said. “McGee is a treasure.”

Young hopes to someday be a veteran helping a rookie.

He’s already learned that becoming a solid player takes more than one swing.

“I’m never going to be satisfied,” he said. “I show up ready every single day, but I’m accepting of my particular role.

“I’ve learned that the little things are actually the big things. It’s impossible to learn everything there is to know.”