Former Rockie Eric Young making history as first-time manager in WPBL

Former Colorado Rockie Eric Young Sr. coaches a member of the Los Angeles Queens in late July 2026. Young is the manager of the Professional Women’s Baseball League team, which will make its inaugural debut on Aug. 1, 2026 in Springfield, Ill. | Women’s Pro Baseball League Eric Young Sr. knows a thi

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Eric Young Sr. knows a thing or two about making the most of the moment.

So, it’s no surprise that the former Rockie and current manager of the Los Angeles Queens, one of four teams in the inaugural Women’s Professional Baseball League, has made seizing the day the motto guiding his approach to his first baseball managing gig.

“I told them in the meeting [before the first game on Aug. 1], ‘there’s going to be a moment throughout this year that’s going to be very special for you,” Young said during

a press conference after the first game in Springfield, Ill. “I said, ‘the only thing I want you to do is to be mentally prepared for that moment.’”

His words turned into reality immediately as the Queens rallied from a 7-2 deficit to the New York Heights for an epic 10-8 win on a rainy day that couldn’t dampen the joy of the debut of the first women’s league to exist in the United States since the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) ended in 1954.

“What a game and what a start to the Women’s Pro Baseball League,” said Young, who played with the Rockies from 1993 through half of the 1997 season. “The energy was electric out there.”

And just like that, Young, aka EY, recorded his first victory as a manager. Young, a first base and baserunning coach for five different MLB teams — including the Rockies from 2014-16 under then-manager and his former Rockies teammate Walt Weiss — joins former MLB players Matt Williams and Keith Foulke and women’s baseball pioneer and former Colorado Silver Bullet Rachelle “Rocky” Henley as the first-ever WPBL managers this season.

With another 12-4 victory on Wednesday, Young and the Queens have jumped out to a 2-0 start in the debut season where each team will play 15 games before the playoffs in September. In the middle of a historic moment, and with only about a week of practice with the team before the season started, Young had nothing but praise for his players. He shouted out their energy, willingness to play wherever he needs them and their love of the game.

“For me as a manager, that makes it easy because this is my first day managing and I’m trying to figure the pieces out, but they were helping me. They don’t even know how much they were helping me tonight,” Young said. “They made it look good for our whole team. Kudos to them. They just deserve all the credit in this, and I was just happy to be next to them to enjoy the moment.”

As a member of the inaugural season for the Colorado Rockies, Young knows what it’s like to make history. Not only was he part of a brand new team, but he hit a home run in the first home at bat for the Colorado Rockies on April 9, 1993 at Mile High Stadium.

In his time as a Rockie, Young hit .295/.378.412 with 30 homers, 102 doubles, 28 triples with 227 RBIs and 378 runs scored in 613 games over five seasons. Young, who remains the Rockies all-time leader with 180 stolen bases, clearly understands the pressure of being part of something new and is trying to help the Queens navigate the experience.

“The main thing is to stay positive. This is going to be a process. We are going to have some ups and downs, but if we can stay positive and push each other, you never know what could happen and it happened tonight,” EY said after the comeback win on Aug. 1. “The bench was still cheering the same way as if we were up 7-2 or 8-4. There is so much positive energy in our clubhouse. I am amazed at it.”

Young played under some legendary managers in his 16-year MLB career, which included time with the Dodgers, Cubs, Brewers, Padres, Rangers and Giants. From playing under Rockies manager Don Baylor, to other skippers like Tommy Lasorda, Bruce Bochy, Ned Yost, Davey Johnson, he learned from them all. In 2025, he told FanGraph’s David Laurila specifically what he liked about playing for Baylor.

“I liked the calmness of Don Baylor. He was OK with players that were upset, because he knew how to handle guys. He knew how to push guys’ buttons based on their personalities. Don Baylor was a strong personality,” Young said. “He was also the type of manager who was going to give you a chance. If you told him you can do something, he was going to give you that opportunity. But you better do it.”

Young has adopted that philosophy as a manager for the Queens. With a shorter roster in his debut, he put utility player Maggie Fox on the mound to get the save, despite having never seen her pitch in practice leading up to the game.

“The first day, I have to admit, when I met Maggie, she said, ‘I can play all over. I can play anywhere you want me to play.’ She gave me that attitude right there,” Young said. “To be honest, I didn’t even see her pitch and [late in the Aug. 1 game] I am looking around and I said, “Maggie I need you on the mound.” And that’s it. She went running and getting loose and everything. But the thing is, it doesn’t matter. She loves the games so much, you put her at catcher, pitcher, she’s going to play.”

EY’s style is landing well with his players, as evident by L.A. center fielder Mo’ne Davis’s comments in the press conference after the first game. She appreciates his positivity and energy.

“He just always sits on the side and he just lets us play our game and how this is our stage,” Davis said. “We just want to give props to him and give him the respect because he allows us to play our game and be ourselves.”

Young’s resume includes the wins to back up his approach. After all, he was part of the 1995 squad that went 77-67 (season shortened by strike) and earned a National League Wild Card berth, when there was only one Wild Card slot per league, in the Rockies third year of existence. He hopes he can achieve quick success with the Queens as well.

“The most important thing through this process is that we get better each and every day,” Young said. “If we get better every single day, I’ll take our chances when we get to the postseason.”

On the Farm

Triple-A: Albuquerque Isotopes 5, Sugar Land Space Cowboys 3

Charlie Condon and Connor Norby, who the Rockies recently aquired from Miami in a trade for Victor Vodnik, each hit solo homers, and TJ Shook threw two scoreless innings to earn the save and preserve the win for the Isotopes on Thursday night. Ryan Ritter tripled, singled, and drove in a run, and Zac Veen stole second and scored on a throwing error. Albuquerque was able to squeak out a win and fend off a three-run eighth, depsite going 0-for-10 and leaving eight runs on base. Eiberson Castellano gave up three runs on two hits with one walk and three strikeouts for the Isotopes to earn the win and improve to 3-2 on the season.

Double-A: Binghamton Rumble Ponies 23, Hartford Yard Goats 3

The Yard Goats had a really bad night and the Ponies had a really good one. Roc Riggio hit a two-run single and Mike Antico hit a solo homer to make up for Hartford’s scoring. Binghamton out-hit the Yard Goats 21-7, and Hartford committed six errors to aid the Ponies, who scored three unearned runs.

High-A: Eugene Emeralds 15, Spokane Indians 10 (10)

A valent comeback was foiled when the Emeralds unleashed a five-run 10th inning to beat Spokane. Eugene jumped out to an 8-2 lead after four innings, but the Indians slowly clawed their way back to within one run entering the bottom of the ninth. Kelvin Hidalgo drew a one-out walk and Roynier Hernandez hit a pinch-hit RBI single to send the game into extra innings. Roldy Brito recorded three hits and scored two runs, Ethan Hedges posted two hits, two runs and to RBIs and Tevin Tucker added three hits and a run. Cameron Nelson and Juan Castillo each chipped in two hits and one run, while Nelson also drove one in.

Low-A: Fresno Grizzlies 4, Visalia Rawhide 3

Cristian Arguelles had himself a night. Arguelles hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth to help the Grizzlies regain the lead and it was enough to earn the victory on Thursday. The Rawhide scored in the second to take a 1-0 lead, but Sebastian Blanco hit a sac grounder to score Wilder Dalis to tied it in the bottom of the frame. Arguelles singled and scored Juan Martinez in the third to put Fresno back on top, only for the Rawhide to rally back again and set up Arguelles homer in the sixth. Aidan Redahan and Martinez both had two-hit nights for the Grizzlies. Bryson Van Sickle improved to 4-0 after throwing a quality start, giving up three runs on six hits with four walks and five homers in seven innings.

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Wilder Dalis named California League Play of the Month for July | Purple Row

Wilder Dalis (No. 24 PuRP) outstanding performance for the Fresno Grizzlies in July did not go unnoticed. Over 24 games in July, Dalis batted .374/.443/.727 for just a taste of his stats in the month.

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