ESPN MLB Insider Discusses What We Should Look For with Seattle Mariners' Cole Young

Young is just 1-for-15 through his first five games in the big leagues, and Buster Olney joined the "Refuse to Lose" podcast to discuss what things we should be looking for in his performance.

Seattle Mariners second baseman Cole Young (2) stands in the batters box against the Minnesota Twins during the fourth inning at T-Mobile Park on May 31. | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

After a dominant month of May in the minor leagues, Cole Young was promoted to the Seattle Mariners' roster over the weekend.

Though he provided a walk-off fielders choice on Saturday and picked up his first hit that day, it's been a general struggle for Young, who is 1-for-15 at the big-league level.

That said, we were joined by ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney during Thursday's edition of the Refuse to Lose podcast to talk about Young and what exactly we should be looking for from him. How should we be evaluating him? (This came out before Thursday's game):

So ​I ​think ​the ​most ​important ​number ​for ​him ​is on-​base ​percentage, in ​terms ​of ​just ​being ​credible. ​It ​doesn't ​mean ​that ​he ​has ​to ​have ​a .450 ​on ​base ​percentage, ​and ​be ​a ​star ​right ​away, ​but ​you ​want ​him ​to ​have ​at ​least ​a ​.280 ​to ​.300 ​on-​base ​percentage. ​You ​want ​him ​to ​not ​look ​like ​he's ​overwhelmed ​in ​his ​plate ​appearances. ​You want ​him ​to ​be ​someone ​on ​a ​daily ​basis, you ​hope ​that ​he ​adds ​some ​point, ​during ​that ​time. ​And ​you ​don't ​take ​at ​face ​value ​what ​he's ​doing ​so ​far ​since ​he's ​been ​in ​the ​big ​leagues, because, ​man, ​you ​talk to, ​especially ​older ​players, ​and ​you ​ask ​them ​about ​their ​first ​days, ​and ​they ​all ​talk ​about ​how ​overwhelming ​it ​all ​is.

You can listen to the full interview with Olney in the podcast player below:

The Mariners will take on the Angels on Friday night at 6:40 p.m. PT.

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