Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Justin Upton
became the youngest player in the big leagues when he was called up late in the
2007 season. He holds the same distinction—and then some—on Opening Day rosters
this year as teams trimmed down to the allowable 25-man limit.
Upton doesn’t turn 21 until Aug. 25, making him the youngest player in the
major leagues by more than a year. New York Yankees righthander Phil Hughes is
the second-youngest, but he’s 14 months older than Upton.
Interestingly, there isn’t a single new face among the 10 youngest players to
crack 25-man rosters this spring as all 10 played in the big leagues at some
point in 2007. In fact, all 10 were called up before rosters expanded on Sept.
1 and only four of the 10 actually qualify for Rookie of the Year honors this
season. Upton does not, as he got 140 at-bats in 2007—10 at-bats above the
limit.
In all, there were 22 players who broke spring training camp this year that
were born as recently as 1985. Only two—Houston Astros lefthander Wesley Wright
and San Francisco Giants infielder Brian Bocock—have not previously played in
the big leagues. With injuries to Giants infielders Kevin Frandsen and Omar
Vizquel, Bocock made the jump to the big leagues all the way from Class A
Fresno.
Here are the 10 youngest players to open the 2008 major league season:
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