If not for a timely elbow injury, Brett Young might never have ended up with a career as a country singer. Young was pursuing the very different ambition of playing major league baseball, with interest from the Minnesota Twins and the Tampa Bay Rays, when he blew out his elbow during a game while attending Fresno State. With his baseball prospects lost, Young turned to his love of music, and that eventually put him where he is today, with four top five country hits under his belt.

Before taking country radio by storm with “Sleep Without You,” “In Case You Didn’t Know,” “Like I Loved You” and “Mercy” (all from his 2017 self-titled album), he spent nearly a decade honing his craft in Los Angeles, putting out several independent releases that paved the way for his move to Nashville. Young’s influences include pop-rock singer-songwriters like Gavin DeGraw and Jack Johnson along with country stars like Tim McGraw and Ty Herndon. Taking advantage of his recent success, Young is busy working on a follow-up to his major-label debut, set for release later this year. He may have missed out on the big leagues in sports, but he’s already made it there as a musician.

Mandalay Bay Beach, 9 p.m. Aug. 17, $39 plus tax and fee. 800.745.3000 Ticketmaster