2018 Draft Review: New York Yankees

First 5 rounds: Anthony Seigler (1-23), Josh Breaux (2-61), Ryder Green (3-97), Frank German (4-127), Brandon Lockridge (5-157)
Also notable: Daniel Bies (7-217), Kyle Gray (14-427), Alex Junior (19-577)

The Yankees went for upside here, grabbing two high schoolers and a JuCo bat in the first three rounds, and four of their first five picks were hitters. After that, they took six straight pitchers in rounds six through eleven, including five straight college arms. They have been very good at taking lesser-known pitchers and making solid prospects out of them, so it makes sense that they would lean pitcher heavy in the middle of the draft, and the hitters at the top will look to replenish a farm system that lacks impact bats after trades and the graduation of Gleyber Torres.

1-23: C Anthony Seigler (my rank: 44)
I'll start off by saying I don't like this pick. Seigler has plenty of upside both at the plate and behind it, but for the 23rd overall pick, there is a lot of risk here. Catchers are the toughest position to develop and often take the least linear path in terms of that development, so drafting a high schooler at the position is often a shot in the dark. That's why I a) prefer college catchers, who are further along in their development or b) taking more catchers later in the draft, hoping that one pans out. That said, Seigler is very athletic for a catcher (he switch hits AND switch pitches) and probably has a better chance than most high school catchers to continue on the trajectory he is on. There is no doubt about his talent, as he hits the ball hard from both sides of the plate with a good approach and some power to tap into. He's a good defender behind the plate, so he really does have a lot going for him. I just don't think he's worth the 23rd overall pick. If anybody is thinking about Gary Sanchez, don't be. If the Yankees think Seigler was the best talent available, they should go with him, because you never worry about position or need during the first round. They'll worry about Sanchez vs Seigler later. Seigler signed at slot for just over $2.8 million.

2-61: C Josh Breaux (my rank: 87)
Another pick, another catcher. Breaux has been dealing with some arm issues this year, so that was factored into his ranking for me, but if the Yankees liked his physical, then this isn't the worst pick, though I still think it's an overdraft. Breaux is a JuCo bat out of McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas who has absolutely mashed the pitching he has faced, including a .404/.532/.831 slash line with 18 home runs in 56 games. He does everything big, with a big, powerful swing as well as a big, powerful arm. The arm can actually reach 100 MPH on the mound, which will help his defensive value, and he'll need it because the rest of his catching game needs work. Back to the bat, there is a ton of power here, but he'll need to cut down on his strikeouts to tap into it. He's a high risk, high reward pick, though in a different way than Seigler. Again, don't worry about Gary Sanchez. Worst case scenario, the Yankees can trade Seigler and Breaux. He has not signed yet and slot value here is just over $1 million.

3-97: OF Ryder Green (my rank: 83)
Green will probably require more than the allotted $576,400 to sign, but the Yankees should save enough on their later picks to get him. He's a high school outfielder from the Knoxville, Tennessee area, one with a lot of strength who can drive balls all over the field with ease. He has a strong arm as well, one which should play well in right field. He is a bit raw at the plate though, understandable for a kid from East Tennessee, as his swing has a little bit more long-to-it, short-through-it than one would like, but that's why he fell to the third round. With some swing adjustments, he could be a 20 homer bat with pretty good defense in right field, and that's value. He's committed to Vanderbilt.

4-127: RHP Frank German (unranked)
German just finished up a dominant season at the University of North Florida, going 8-3 with a 1.58 ERA, a 0.83 WHIP, and a 108/14 strikeout to walk ratio in 91 innings. The 6'2" starter should be able to remain a starter though the minors, as he has a smooth delivery, maintains his stuff throughout the game, and throws strikes. His fastball sits in the low 90's with his curve and changeup both showing promise, so he has a very good shot at ending up a back-end starter in the Bronx.  He's also young for a college junior, not turning 21 until September. He has already signed, but the terms have not been released and slot value there is $430,400.

5-157: CF Brandon Lockridge (unranked)
Lockridge played center field for Troy University in Alabama, where he slashed .307/.429/.480 with four home runs, 25 stolen bases, and a 46/37 strikeout to walk ratio over 63 games. He shows top of the scale speed with some gap power, and while he probably ends up a fourth outfielder, he quietly has the tools to be a little more. That 12.3% walk rate is nice to see, and the 15.3% strikeout rate isn't too bad for a fifth rounder. This is a good pick, and they got him for $300,000, which is $20,700 below slow.

Others: 7th rounder Daniel Bies had a very good junior season at Gonzaga, going 7-4 with a 2.49 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP over 16 starts, striking out 124 and walking 25 in 112 innings. The 6'8" righty also pitched very well in the Cape Cod League, putting up a 3.09 ERA and a 27/10 strikeout to walk ratio over 32 innings against tough competition. He throws hard with a fastball that reaches the mid 90's and a curveball that looks very good, though he may be moved to the bullpen, where he could be a dominant guy on a per-inning basis. 14th rounder Kyle Gray had a huge breakout year after two so-so seasons at West Virginia University, slashing .374/.462/.677 with 14 home runs and a 41/34 strikeout to walk ratio over 55 games. He was drafted as a second baseman and should be an offensive-minded utility infielder as he moves up. That 14.5% career walk rate certainly doesn't hurt. As a fun fact, he's from a small town in Texas hill country called Blanco, and country music fans might recognize the next town to the west: Luckenbach, Texas. 19th rounder Alex Junior was the leadoff man this year for the unreal Tennessee Tech offense, slashing .316/.451/.465 with seven home runs and a 59/56 strikeout to walk ratio over 65 games, showing very good on-base ability but a need to improve his contact. A .316 batting average is good, though it was in the Ohio Valley Conference, and his 17.4% strikeout rate is just a little too high for comfort. He'll hope to ride that 16.5% walk rate to a fourth outfielder spot in the Bronx.

2018 MLB Draft: Top 5 Catchers

This will be my first in a series of position-by-position lists for the top players in the 2018 MLB Draft. The list is drawn from all eligible players, including high school, junior college, and four year college. It is based on my own analysis from video and online scouting reports.

This year's catching class is led by Joey Bart, who will look to join Buster Posey, Mike Zunino, and fellow Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket Matt Wieters as one of the best catchers to come out of college baseball in recent memory. Noah Naylor, Anthony Seigler, and Will Banfield make up the top tier of high school catching, which is typically a very risky demographic that I would try to steer away from if I were a decision maker. After him, Josh Breaux leads the JuCo pack, and J.J. Schwarz, Cal Raleigh, and Ryan Jeffers provide more power from the college side. A few of these guys may have to move off catcher as they move up through the levels, but good catching is hard to find these days and the risk is often worthwhile.

1. Joey Bart (Georgia Tech)
Bart isn't just the best catcher in this draft, but he's the best catching prospect in any draft since Florida's Mike Zunino in 2012, and while he may not beat Zunino's landing spot at third overall, he has a very good chance to have a better career. After a very solid sophomore season where he slashed .296/.370/.575 with 13 home runs in 44 games, he took a huge step forward in 2018, slashing .359/.471/.632 with 16 home runs in 57 games. He also dropped his strikeout rate moderately from 24% to 20.6% while nearly doubling his walk rate from 7.7% to 15.1%. The power is real, as Bart can mash baseballs out of sight and has done so regularly. He has also greatly improved his defensive game, as scouts love the way he handles pitchers and he has gone from a fringe-average defender to an above average one with a cannon arm. His ceiling is that of Gary Sanchez, and he has a very good shot to at least match Zunino as a power hitting, solid fielding every day catcher. He's likely to go in the top five picks and certainly won't last past the top ten.

2. Noah Naylor (St. Joan of Arc HS, ON)
Padres prospect Josh Naylor's younger brother has a chance to be a first round pick as well. High school catchers are notoriously risky, but Naylor's big bat will help ease teams' worries about drafting one. The Ontario native has big time power from the left side and does have plenty of feel to hit, so even if he has to move off of catcher, the bat should be able to carry him even as a first baseman. Personally, I think he could add even more power if he learns to gain more ground with his load. He does have a backup plan before first base, as he is a competent defender at third, and it won't take much improvement in his defense there for him to stay there. With his solid arm and adequate receiving skills, he's a catcher for now, and if he can stay there, he could start in the majors. Naylor looks to go towards the back of the first round and is committed to Texas A&M.

3. Anthony Seigler (Cartersville HS, GA)
Seigler has had some helium during this draft, and could actually hear his name called before Naylor's. The switch hitter generates pop from both sides of the plate, but that power is more a product of his solid feel for the barrel than of his brute strength. He's the most athletic catcher available among top five round talents, showing solid defense behind the plate and enough agility to actually profile at some infield spots as well. However, he does turn 19 just after the draft, making him one of the older players in this year's high school class. As a couple of fun facts, he is half Navajo and can also switch pitch in addition to switch hitting. He's committed to Florida.

4. Will Banfield (Brookwood HS, GA)
Across the Atlanta metro area is Will Banfield, perhaps the best defensive catcher among top five round prospects. His arm is arguably the best in the class, and he combines that with agility behind the plate that can match up with Seigler's. However, his bat lags behind his glove, as he has shown little feel for the barrel and that can kill a career. If a pro team can help him find the barrel more often, he does have loft in his swing and could hit for some power, but it's a big if, especially with the rigors of catching. He has a higher ceiling but a lower floor than the other guys on this list and is committed to Vanderbilt, which could make him a tough sign if he falls past the early second round.

5. Josh Breaux (McLennan JC, TX)
Breaux is more of a third tier catcher, as opposed to Naylor, Seigler, and Banfield, who are second tier guys, but his power is as loud as anybody's aside from Bart. The JuCo standout absolutely raked this year at .404/.532/.831 with 18 home runs in 56 games, granted that is against lower level pitching from other junior colleges around Texas. There is worry about his contact, as he takes a "swing hard in case you hit it" approach at the plate, which knocks him out of the first two rounds, and his defense behind the plate is just adequate. However, he has a cannon arm that can produce 100 MPH fastballs on the mound, so he could conceivably be a passable defender overall with a little bit of improvement with the glove. He has battled some arm injuries this year, which could sap his arm strength and delay his development if they continue to resurface. He is committed to Arkansas for his upper-classman years.

Others: Kameron Guangorena (St. John Bosco HS, CA), Cal Raleigh (Florida State), Ryan Jeffers (UNC Wilmington), J.J. Schwarz (Florida)