The Nationals are locking in one of their young pieces.

Outfielder has agreed to a four-year contract extension worth $23 million that includes an $8 million option for a fifth season, a source told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. The Nationals have not confirmed the news.

Young, 27, was under club control for three more years, but this deal will buy out his final arbitration years and make him first eligible for free agency in 2031.

The Nationals selected Young in the seventh round of the 2021 Draft out of the University of Florida. An elite defensive center fielder with top-end speed upon his 2023 debut, Young saw a bit of an offensive breakout in 2026. He slashed .252/.318/.390. His .708 OPS was well above his previous career high of .658, while his 10 home runs doubled the five career homers he hit before this season.

Though that offense was still slightly below average (94 OPS+), Young’s defense helped him log 1.8 Baseball-Reference WAR. He was also a threat on the basepaths with 18 steals in 22 attempts.

Now, Young will look to help the Nationals continue growing after a young core finished 77-85, an 11-win improvement over 2025. Alongside All-Stars CJ Abrams and James Wood, Young and the Nats finished third in MLB in runs scored.