World Series 2023: D-backs, Rangers GMs have connection to Princeton University

ARLINGTON, Texas - There are several storylines during this World Series. One involves Princeton University.

The general managers of both teams, Mike Hazen of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Chris Young of the Texas Rangers played for the Ivy League school.

Both Hazen and Young still have a great relationship with their former baseball coach, Coach Scott Bradley.

"We said from the very beginning when the postseason started, hey wouldn't this be really special if Mike and the Diamondbacks had a chance to go up against Chris and the Rangers," Scott Bradley said.

Before we got to the start of this World Series, we have to go back.

Number 19, Hazen was going into his senior year at the Ivy League school when Coach Bradley got the job more than 25 years ago.

"You just could watch Mike, you knew it was his team the way the other players looked at him, they respected him, and the way Mike carried himself on the field you knew it was his team," Bradley said.

Bradley helped him break into Major League Baseball off the field.

"This is the truth, a month later Mark Shapiro called me up and said this is an absolute superstar," Bradley said. "Mike Hazen is going to leave his mark on this game he will be a big-league GM before we know it."

Chris Young from Dallas, Texas was Bradley’s first recruit.

"We have this 6-foot-10 inch pitcher named Chris Young that you really should talk to, he's really bright, articulate, you should talk to him," Bradley said.

Young was a two-sport athlete at Princeton – baseball and basketball. He went on to have a successful pitching career and became a World Series champion with the Kansas City Royals in 2015. Then he started working behind the scenes.

Fast forward to today.

Both Hazen and Young are the general managers of the two remaining teams in Major League Baseball.

"I don't know that any of us have that magic wand to be able to put people on this stage in these environments with the anxiety and pressure that ratchets for these guys and then see them do baseball superhero stuff," Hazen said.

"I'm so happy for everybody who has put in and suffered through a lot of hard times over the last six years and of course for our fans as well," Young said.

The young general managers turned around organizations in a short period of time.

"We were very fortunate to be able to attend a really good institution that fostered a lot of relationships that I have until this day," Hazen said about his time at Princeton.

Before a recent World Series game, both GM’s talked about Coach Bradley.

"Scott Bradley is going to come," Hazen said. "He was instrumental for the both of us not only in developing us as baseball people but also getting us into Major League Baseball. We’re not here, I'm not here without Scott."

"About 6 o'clock in the morning I received a joint text from Chris and Mike saying ‘Coach, you're such a big part of this, we have tickets, hotel, whatever you need to do, we need you here,’" Bradley said.

Bradley wishes both guys could celebrate at the end of the World Series. But he’s proud of them and thankful to see all of their success.

"It’s beyond words, as I’ve gotten older, I get more emotional all the time," Bradley said. "You sometimes question your path and different things, and in moments like this, you know you made the right choice. No doubt whatsoever when you get this type of reward by seeing these guys, and it's all my guys."

Bradley also spoke about the significant loss that both Hazen and Young have gone through during their life. Hazen lost his wife, Nicole, about a year ago to brain cancer. His four boys recently threw out the first pitch during a postseason home game. Young lost his father during the 2015 baseball season. Bradley got to see Young pitch during the 2015 World Series and was there when Young won it all with Kansas City in New York.