1-28: C Austin Wells, Arizona
3-99: 2B Trevor Hauver, Arizona State
4-129: RHP Beck Way, Northwest Florida State CC
The Yankees lost their second and fifth round picks for signing Gerrit Cole, so in the shortened draft, they only came away with three players. Still, I believe they did very well with the little they had, picking up two potential impact players and another solid one. This Arizona-themed draft could send talent to the big leagues relatively quickly, with each player doing something a little different.
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1-28: C Austin Wells, Arizona (my rank: 20)
I love this pick for the Yankees, and it's one they've made before. After New York drafted him in the 35th round out of high school in Las Vegas, Austin Wells has done nothing but hit since with a career .357/.476/.560 line, seven home runs, and a nice 57/63 strikeout to walk ratio across 71 games with Arizona. Just barely old enough to crack the minimum age for a draft-eligible sophomore, he was one of the younger college bats available and won't turn 21 until July, but he already has plenty of track record. In addition to smoking Pac 12 pitching, he hit .295/.377/.491 with seven home runs and a 51/24 strikeout to walk ratio across 46 games in the elite Cape Cod League over the summer. Wells doesn't have a true plus tool, but he has a lot to work with in above average plate discipline, power, and contact ability, which is why he's managed to hit for impact everywhere he's gone. He takes healthy but controlled hacks from the left side, consistently turning around velocity and driving breaking pitches and proving that everything plays up with wood. Still young, he could tap even more power as he continues to fill out, giving him a shot at being a real 30 home run hitter in the majors. There is a little bit of swing and miss but not a ton, and to this point it has not hampered his ability to find the barrel consistently at all. There are more questions about his defense, with a mediocre arm and choppy actions behind the plate. Given the depth of catchers in the Yankees' system, including Anthony Seigler and Josh Breaux both working their way up behind Gary Sanchez, Wells might not stick behind the plate very long. At least for the time being, they may feel inclined to give him every opportunity to try to catch, and he's shown an eagerness to improve his defense. Either way, the bat plays no matter what position he ends up at, but as a catcher he'd be one of the best in the game. Slot value is $2.49 million here and I don't imagine Wells will come with much of a discount, if any. Pre-draft profile here.
3-99: 2B Trevor Hauver, Arizona State (my rank: 144)
Heading back to the desert, the Yankees grabbed Phoenix-area native Trevor Hauver, probably the fourth best offensive prospect in a loaded Sun Devils lineup. He has raked for the last two seasons, slashing .339/.446/.598 with 18 home runs and a 68/59 strikeout to walk ratio over 74 games since the start of 2019. Using a wide setup, Hauver employs a quick uppercut from the left side that has enabled him to tap his power consistently in games, though he plays in a hitter-friendly context using metal bats in college. That power didn't quite show up on the Cape (.256/.356/.333, 1 HR), though, and it leads to questions over how much will really play with wood bats. He's driven the ball with enough authority on a consistent enough basis at Arizona State to be confident in at least average power, and while there is some swing and miss in his game, he's been improving in that regard and draws plenty of walks. In all, we're probably looking at a 15-25 home run hitter at best with solid on-base percentages, with a more median projection of a platoon bat. He's not a great defender, but he can play close to average at a variety of positions, including second base, third base, or left or right field. The Yankees drafted him as a second baseman, but he'll likely just end up wherever they need him. He played outfield at Arizona State in deference to the Sun Devils' incredibly talented infield. Slot value is $587,400 at this pick, though the Yankees may want him to take a slight discount so they can afford:
4-129: RHP Beck Way, Northwest Florida State CC (my rank: 92)
Leaving the state of Arizona, the Yankees headed back to Florida to grab arguably the top junior college arm in the country. Beck Way, who is originally from the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania area, has been trending up really quickly ever since a strong summer on the Cape (3.29 ERA, 18/11 K/BB). He came back to Northwest Florida State and absolutely dominated, posting a 0.67 ERA and a 58/9 strikeout to walk ratio across 40 innings, and pushed himself firmly into top 100 conversations. Way is a 6'4" righty with a low to mid 90's fastball that can climb as high as 97, which plays up coming from a low three quarters, almost sidearm slot. He adds a solid slider and a good changeup, with all three pitches flashing plus potential. In addition to the arm slot, his above average command helps him effectively tunnel his pitches off one another and keep hitters guessing. The lower arm slot might bring relief questions for some, but he repeats it well and has a durable frame, so it's more likely than not that he sticks in the rotation. I really like this pick, and I think Way can work his way up to being a legitimate impact starting pitcher for the Yankees down the line. Slot value is $438,700, but I'd expect he'll probably take a little more to sign away from a commitment to LSU. Pre-draft profile here.
Undrafted: RHP Carson Coleman, Kentucky (unranked)
I don't know much about Carson Coleman, an redshirt junior out of Kentucky, other than that he struck out 13 of the 23 hitters he faced in the shortened 2020 season. A 6'2" righty from Lexington, Kentucky, he's been a reliever throughout his time with the Wildcats with a career 4.19 ERA and 81/34 strikeout to walk ratio over 53.2 innings. 33 of those walks came in his first two years, but at least by the numbers his command looked stronger in the small sample of 2020. He also struck out nine and walked three over five innings in the Cape Cod League. Coleman signed as a free agent on Sunday, the first day he was eligible.
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