Iowa-Bound Ballplayer Jared Young Recovering After Scary Mets Collision
Jared Young, the New York Mets first baseman who once drove to Iowa just to play one more baseball game, is out of the hospital and recovering after a frightening collision on the field Thursday night. The 31-year-old lost consciousness and had to be stretchered off the field, but interim manager Andy Green delivered a positive update Friday.
Young has full motion of his limbs and is walking, Green said, though he is dealing with the effects of a concussion, short-term memory loss, and a severe headache. The CT scan and all non-neurological results came back clean, which Green called a real relief.
What happened on the field?
The scary moment unfolded when Young tried to stretch for a ball at first base and teammate Nolan McLean, attempting to jump over him, accidentally kneed him in the head. Young lay motionless on the field before being taken to the hospital, where he spent most of Thursday night.
Green said Young is now heading to additional doctor appointments for more tests over the next few days.
“There is some short-term memory loss from how hard he got hit, kind of remembering what happened on the field,” Green said. “And he's got a pretty bad headache, which would be anticipated as well. More tests over the next few days to really understand all that he is dealing with. But everything we have heard has been really optimistic from a recovery standpoint and getting-back-on-the-field-eventually standpoint.”
Green added: “Relieved. I think everyone is.”
Young's journey from Iowa to the majors
Young's love for the game is well documented, and his connection to Iowa runs deep. In 2022, after being optioned by the Cubs at the end of the season, Young was told he could go home. Instead, he asked a memorable question.
“This guy likes to play so much,” Green recounted. “He said, 'Can I drive to Iowa and play?'”
And so he did. Young drove to the Cubs' Triple-A affiliate in Iowa for a single game and made it memorable by drilling a walk-off home run to beat the Toledo Mud Hens.
Green, who knew Young from his time as bench coach in Chicago, said the moment says everything about the player's character.
“It's just indicative of the type of person he is, how much he loves being on the baseball field,” Green said. “He's loved in that clubhouse. And he was loved in the Triple-A clubhouse. Any place he is, he's thought really highly of.”
A breakout season cut short
Young finally stuck in the major leagues this year at age 31, a long journey that included a 22-game taste of MLB with the Cubs in 2022-23 and a season in South Korea in 2024. He returned stateside last year with a split contract with the Mets and ran with his opportunity in 2025.
While he could not fill Pete Alonso's shoes, Young did the best among the first basemen the club tried. He finishes the season with a .759 OPS, nine home runs, and 39 RBIs in 103 games.
Teammates describe Young as a beloved figure in the clubhouse who never has a bad day.
“You definitely see the joy and appreciation he has for being here,” Bo Bichette said. “He's ready for any situation that he's ever put in with a smile on his face. He is happy for everybody's success always.”
A.J. Ewing, Young's locker-mate, echoed that sentiment.
“I've never seen the guy upset about anything,” Ewing said. “He's always coming in, he has a smile on his face, and I feel like it spreads on other people for sure.”
What's next for Young?
The Mets officially moved Young to the seven-day concussion list and called up Ronny Mauricio. His season is over, but the team believes he will be back on the field eventually.
For a player who once drove to Iowa just to play one more game, that determination is no surprise to anyone who knows him.