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Nationals defensive wizard Jacob Young robbed what might have been a game-tying home run in the ninth inning against the Mets on Sunday -- and it wasn’t even his best catch of the day.
Not even close.
A few innings earlier, Young gave us what might be the top catch of the season. There are a lot of contenders for that label (more on that in a moment). But what’s inarguable is that Young gave us the best kick of the season.
After Young ran back, spun and leaped at the center-field wall to nab a long fly in the fifth inning, the ball popped out of his glove. As the ball fell toward the warning track, Young’s right leg kicked up into the air, and the Nats’ center fielder suddenly looked like he was playing hacky sack on the university quad.
That quick reflex popped the ball back up and allowed Young to haul in one of the strangest flyouts you will see.
“Somehow, I kicked it right back to me,” Young said after the game. “So I’ll give credit to my AAU soccer coach.”
Now, is that the best catch of 2025? It’s certainly unique, but MLB has been blessed with a boatload of jaw-dropping catches this season. A quick sampling:
– Robles saves the day: This just happened on Saturday. Mariners outfielder Victor Robles made a spectacular diving catch to start a game-winning double play in a crucial game vs. Houston.
– Face first: What’s a good way to get over the pain of smashing your face into the fence? Make a game-ending grab, like the Marlins’ Dane Myers did.
– Oh no! Oh yes! This play could have been disastrous for the Blue Jays’ Daulton Varsho after he fell down, but he got up and completed a wild, behind-the-back grab.
– Between Lee’s knees: Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee needed more than his glove to make this catch in the gap.
– Did he even see this ball? Astros infielder Luis Guillorme went back on a popup, put his glove in the air and hoped for the best.
– Bring it back: Boston’s Ceddanne Rafaela and Atlanta’s Jurickson Profar each went clearly over the wall to make fabulous catches.
– The reigning champion? If Young’s kick catch doesn’t go down as the top catch of the 2025 season, then that title probably belongs to this unforgettable, wall-scaling robbery by the A’s Denzel Clarke.
-- Brian Murphy
