Yount looks to make his own mark

Dustin Yount, son of Milwaukee Brewers Hall of Famer Robin Yount, hopes to be one of the success stories. But he knows he has a lot of work to do. The 23-year-old Yount appears to be progressing toward that objective as he enters his second season with the Frederick Keys, the Orioles? Class-A affiliate.

Yount, a ninth-round selection by the Orioles in the 2001 amateur draft, is batting .270 with four home runs and 18 RBI through 44 games. He batted .258 with 12 homers and 52 RBI in 110 games with the Keys in 2005.

Yount?s improved his batting average each of the past four seasons, as he advanced from Delmarva to Frederick. However, he has shown a tendency to strike out a lot, including 102 times last season and 115 for Delmarva in 2003. He has struck out 29 times so far this year.

The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Yount said he?s looking to improve in that area and speaks frequently with his famous father for hitting advice.

“He just tells me to relax and keep the game simple,” Yount said. “I can?t control where the Orioles want me. All I can do is go out there and play the best that I can.”

Keys manager Ben Figueroa said Yount has improved dramatically since turning pro five years ago.

“Then, he was just a kid and played like one,” said Figueroa, in his second year at the helm in Frederick. “He?s come a long way and looks and plays like a man now. Dustin has become more knowledgeable about hitting and is more patient at the plate this year.”

THE YOUNT FILE

Position: Infielder

Born: West Allis, Wis.

Drafted: By the Orioles in the ninth round in 2001

Did you know? Yount was born seven days after his father?s Brewers lost Game 7 of the 1982 World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals ? He spent the entire 2005 season at Frederick following two years at Delmarva ? He was tied for second with 14 home runs and tied for third with 51 RBI in the Appalachian League for Rookie League Bluefield in 2002.