Philip Hughes
(The Associated Press)
The Yankees' Philip Hughes took a no-hitter into the seventh inning last night. But unfortunately for the already pitching-challenged Yanks, Hughes pulled a hamstring and is out for several weeks.
Hughes, just 20, is the youngest player to appear in the majors so far this season. A total of 20 players who haven't yet reached their 23rd birthday have made appearances. Click here for the rundown.
Do we have some future stars in the making? Given Hughes' performance in just his second start, and the probability of the Yankees surrounding him with some high-priced hitters for many years to come, he seems like a shoo-in if his hamstring heals properly.
The under-23 MVP so far looks like B.J. Upton of Tampa Bay, who is hitting for average and power so far. Upton, who debuted as a teenager in 2004 after being taken second overall by the Rays in the 2002 draft, has stolen five bases to go with his five home runs, making him a valued power/speed commodity. His brother, Justin, is a highly regarded 19-year-old prospect in the Diamondbacks organization.
The top under-23 pitcher is no surprise: Matt Cain of the Giants, who wowed baseball observers with his stellar rookie season in 2006. Cain is just 1-1 so far but has one of the National League's best ERAs. His offense has let him down, scoring just 12 runs in his five starts.
Trivia question 26: Who was the youngest player in major-league history?
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