Texas Rangers GM Chris Young is tied to the Capitals by family

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When it comes to job description, training, and title, Chris Young is an extraordinary baseball official. Not only is he the executive vice president and general manager of the Texas Rangers, but his background is equally fascinating. Standing at an impressive 6 feet 10 inches, Young was a talented right-handed pitcher who excelled in both baseball and basketball during his time at Princeton University. He had the potential to pursue a career in either sport professionally. To top it all off, Young has recently proven his success in his role as the Rangers prepare to open the World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

However, at his core, Young is undeniably inquisitive. “He’s not just interested in me and my work,” said Dick Patrick, the long-time team president of the Washington Capitals. “He’s the kind of person who would sit down with you and ask questions about your job. He genuinely wants to know.” This curiosity led Young, despite having a whole baseball operations department to oversee and develop, to attend Capitals training camp a few years ago. Accompanied by his manager, Chris Woodward, Young seized the opportunity to pick the brains of the Capitals’ team.

“He sat in our war room with us, wanting to understand the interplay between analytics and scouting,” recalled Chris Patrick, the assistant general manager of the Capitals. “He was interested in how players were evaluated in terms of contracts and assigning value to them. It was a fascinating discussion that delved into both the business and sports aspects of our respective fields.”

What’s worth mentioning is that Young’s visit to the Capitals was driven by his genuine curiosity about how another sport, hockey in this case, conducts its business and evaluations. However, the door was open to him not solely because of his curiosity, but because of his familial ties. Dick Patrick is Young’s father-in-law, and Chris Patrick is Young’s brother-in-law. So, when Young is back home in Dallas, his hometown where he once played for the Rangers, it’s more likely to find him wearing the red and blue of the Washington Capitals than the red and blue of the Texas Rangers. “He wears more Caps stuff than Rangers stuff,” Dick Patrick noted. Chris Patrick added that Young is a huge Capitals fan.

In turn, the Patricks have become huge Texas Rangers fans, but this allegiance is a relatively new development. This unique alliance between a baseball executive and one of hockey’s esteemed families, with Lester Patrick, Dick’s grandfather, having been the long-time coach of the New York Rangers, was born during their time at Princeton in the early 2000s. It was there that Young, a two-sport athlete, met Elizabeth Patrick, a midfielder on the Tigers’ soccer team.

Chris Patrick, who played hockey at Princeton before his sister, recalls attending one of Liz’s soccer games, where Young ended up hanging around and even offered to drive him to a famous Princeton hangout called Hoagie Haven. “I was thinking, ‘Is this guy being really nice to me for some reason?'” Chris Patrick said. It was soon revealed that Young and Liz were dating, and their relationship was serious. In 2000, during their sophomore year, Young was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the third round of the MLB draft. However, back then, the Ivy League had rules that prevented athletes from playing colleciately if they signed contracts to play professionally in any sport. Young had to make a choice between turning pro in baseball and giving up basketball or continuing to play both sports in college.

“He had leverage because of that,” acknowledged Dick Patrick. “If I recall correctly, he used it to his advantage.” Young signed with the Pirates, leading to an unorthodox path to marriage and an unusual finish to his academic career at Princeton. He loaded up on courses during the fall, ensuring he would have a clear schedule during the spring to train and play in the minor league season. Liz, on the other hand, completed her athletic and academic commitments on schedule. They both graduated in 2002, with Liz heading to law school at Georgetown, and Young heading to Hickory, N.C., to begin his Class A baseball career.

After making his professional baseball debut with the Rangers in 2004, Young found success both on and off the field. He married Liz Patrick and went on to play 271 games over 13 seasons with five teams. He was even an all-star with the San Diego Padres in 2007 and won a World Series with the Kansas City Royals in 2015. Along the way, the couple had three children. When Young retired after the 2017 season, his next career move was clear.

“He never explicitly said, ‘One day, I want to be a GM,'” Chris Patrick recalled. “But you could tell by talking to him that if it was something he wanted to pursue, he would excel at it. The way he analyzed and discussed players, as well as his ability to manage people, foreshadowed his future success.”

Young’s first step was joining the MLB offices as a senior vice president for on-field operations. In this role, he played a crucial role in various initiatives, including the implementation of the pitch clock. “It wasn’t just a steppingstone for him,” Chris Patrick explained. “He was fully committed and worked incredibly hard.”

However, after the 2020 season, Young received an unexpected offer from a familiar voice. Jon Daniels, who had previously traded Young to the San Diego Padres during his time as the Rangers’ general manager, now held the position of the Rangers’ president of baseball operations, and he offered Young the chance to become the team’s GM. By August 2022, with the Rangers enduring their sixth consecutive losing season, Daniels was fired, and Young was promoted to GM.

Now, the Patricks found themselves traveling from Washington, D.C., to Baltimore for the first round of the playoffs between the Rangers and the Orioles. On this occasion, they wore the gear of the Rangers rather than the Orioles, showcasing their newfound allegiance. This family, connected to both sports through various ties, had the opportunity to learn from each other. Although the sports may differ, they share a common language.

“I wouldn’t describe it as ‘compassionate,'” Chris Patrick clarified. “Instead, there’s a mutual understanding that when you’re in these positions, there’s a lot of noise from fans and the media. Sometimes, you need to tune it out and stick to your beliefs. Chris is excellent at understanding this, both with his team and our side with the Capitals. He’s someone I can vent to because he truly understands the challenges we face.”

Having experienced the Capitals’ championship run during the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs, Chris Patrick knew exactly where his brother-in-law’s focus currently lies. Young is completely dedicated to the upcoming games, focused on blocking out distractions. Even the Patricks won’t be calling him, as they have their own games to contend with as the Capitals face a shaky start to their season. Nonetheless, they can’t help but glance at the TV to catch glimpses of Chris Young’s Rangers in action.

Reference

David Rodriguez

David Rodriguez brings the excitement of Major League Baseball to readers. With a deep appreciation for America’s pastime, he covers the latest MLB news, scores, and player achievements, keeping fans up to date with their favorite teams and players.