Showing posts with label New York Yankees. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New York Yankees. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 5, 2026

2026 MLB Draft Review: New York Yankees

Full list of draftees

The Yankees spent $5 million on back to back left handed pitchers to begin their draft, betting on Hunter Dietz' loud stuff and Sean Duncan's immense pitchability to push them into the middle of a future Bronx rotation. From there, New York pivoted to bats, especially those with strong data who can pack a punch in the lineup. The draft is littered with sleeper types who can outhit their draft positions, something they've become accustomed to lately, which will nicely complement the (hopefully) two rotation locks at the top. The million dollar over-slot bonus to Duncan will make or break this class, but if it hits I think they did a really nice job here.
Full index of team reviews here. Full rankings here.
Note that the number before a player's name indicates their draft position. For example, "2-50" would indicate that a player was taken in the second round with the fiftieth overall pick.

1-35: LHP Hunter Dietz, Arkansas
Slot value: $2.83 million. Signing bonus: $2.5 million ($326,700 below slot value).
My rank: #28. MLB Pipeline: #17. ESPN: #15.
Two years after starting off their 2024 draft with seven straight college arms, the Yankees returned to that demographic in 2026 with one of the best in the country. Hunter Dietz had interest throughout the middle to back of the first round, so getting him here at #35 (and at a discount, to boot) is a huge win. Even if I had him ranked slightly lower than other major publications, I'm a fan of this pick and this discount. Hunter Dietz was a notable draft prospect out of Calvary Christian HS in the Tampa area in 2023, where he shared the best high school rotation in the country with fellow national draft prospects Landen Maroudis and Liam Peterson. Maroudis signed above slot in the fourth round with the Blue Jays that year, while Peterson matriculated to Florida and became a Guardians first rounder in 2026. Dietz, meanwhile, found himself at Arkansas where he immediately injured his elbow then struggled to work his way back into a crowded Razorbacks pitching staff. After totaling just 1.2 innings over his first two seasons then walking 12 of the 64 hitters he faced (18.8%) in the Cape Cod League in the summer of 2025, he showed up to fall practice ahead of his junior season a changed pitcher. Suddenly, his fastball was hitting 99, his secondaries seemed to make a jump, and everything was under control. Scouts were intrigued by the progress, then thrilled that he maintained it in the spring where his 131 strikeouts finished seventh in Division I. The 6'6" lefty pitches off a mid 90's fastball with riding action, but he's far from just a power pitcher. He can really rip through a breaking ball, working the full spectrum from hard cutter to tight slider to downer curveball, all of which flash plus at their best. They can pop out of his hand a bit at times and miss up, but when he grips them right, the late finish on the breaking balls misses bats in bunches. The changeup, like the curveball, is a newer addition to his arsenal, but it hasn't made the jump quite yet and will be a project for the Yankees to bring along. Dietz has a pretty clean delivery with an overhand slot creating a high release point, and while he has struggled with command throughout his amateur career, the strike throwing seemed to take a step forward this year as he dropped his walk rate to a respectable 8.6% to go along with an elite 36.2% strikeout rate. The command is probably closer to fringy than average at this point and the Yankees will need to work with him on effectively working in and out and locating all five pitches. If he can continue tighten things up a little further just as he did this past year, a 6'6" lefty with a power fastball, three plus secondaries, and average command seems like the kind that could sit as a strong #2 starter in any rotation.

2-63: LHP Sean Duncan, Terry Fox SS [BC]
Slot value: $1.45 million. Signing bonus: $2.5 million ($1.05 million above slot value).
My rank: #67. MLB Pipeline: #66. ESPN: #54.
Sean Duncan always seemed to draw more early-draft attention from MLB teams than from major publications (he also ranked #67 at Baseball America), so his massive over slot signing bonus at #63 is not a surprise. He'll make the same $2.5 million the Yankees gave first rounder Hunter Dietz, roughly the value of the #40 pick, but it will take a minute to see the investment come to fruition. He injured his elbow late in his senior season and underwent Tommy John surgery in June, meaning Yankees fans will not see him on a minor league mound until late 2027 at the soonest, if not 2028. Teams were so impressed with his performances over the previous calendar year, however, that the injury did nothing to dampen interest. Duncan is more of a pitchability arm than a stuff monster, advanced beyond his years on the mound like one who could pitch in the mid minors today. The fastball has always been a bit light, but took a step forward recently and now sits in the low 90's touching 95 at peak. He adds a big, deep slider which he has started to tighten up into more of a big league out pitch, improving to average for now but looking like a potential above average pitch as he refines it further. The Vancouver-area native makes his money off an excellent changeup, showing great fade away from hitters combined with the conviction to throw it where he wants it, a rare trait for a prep arm. He also moves well on the mound with a loose, easy delivery that helps him fill up the strike zone consistently, showing above average command now that could be come plus in time. The 6'3" lefty has plenty of projection remaining and the Yankees likely see further velocity gains to come, both on his fastball and his breaking ball, with the changeup and command to work deep into games as he gets stronger. The surgery likely wipes out any plans of moving quickly through the system, but once healthy he has the pitching aptitude to compete with older players and eventually become a mid-rotation starter. The former Vanderbilt commit is young for the class and should be back on the mound before he turns 20.

3-99: C Brendan Brock, Oklahoma
Slot value: $792,300. Signing bonus: $789,800 ($2,500 below slot value).
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: #112. ESPN: #108.
Brendan Brock will be a really interesting project for the Yankees with more upside than the typical third round college catcher. He stayed close to home for his first couple years of college at Southwestern Illinois JC, where after barely playing as a freshman he demolished Midwest JuCo pitching and set the school's all time home run record over the next two seasons. Transferring to Oklahoma for his redshirt junior season, he immediately took to Division I pitching, where he played a central roll in the Sooners' run to the National Championship by hitting .457/.576/.674 over thirteen tournament games. Brock has a highly unusual profile for a catcher. First and foremost, he is a plus-plus runner who stole 28 bases with an 88% success rate in 2026, combining great instincts with blazing speed. That speed also plays in the outfield, where he could be a plus defender who can close ground like nobody's business, providing a great fallback option if catching doesn't work out. For now, he has looked solid behind the plate and has plenty of arm strength to profile back there, so he has multiple positive options on that side of the ball. At the plate, Brock uses a short, direct right handed swing with a quick follow through to drive balls to the pull side. His above average raw power helps him get ahold of baseballs and pull them over the left field wall and should continue to play with wood. He's a patient hitter that forces pitchers into the zone, but especially against higher level competition pitchers have found success missing his bat over the plate. He has been susceptible to offspeed stuff and pitchers will continue to pound him with it in pro ball, so the Yankees will work hard to tune his eye to improve pitch recognition and bat to ball. If he can improve a little bit in that regard, his power and patience will make him a solid hitter while his speed and arm strength will make him a valuable defender no matter where he ends up in the field.

4-127: OF Paul Gutierrez-Contreras, Cal State Fullerton
Slot value: $603,500. Signing bonus: $497,500 ($106,000 below slot value).
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. ESPN: unranked.
Mid-major West Coast bats can fly under the radar a bit sometimes and the Yankees think they found strong value with Paul Contreras, one of the best hitters in the Big West this past season. He began his career close to home at Modesto JC in California's Central Valley, then transferred to Cal State Fullerton after one year. He was okay as a sophomore in 2025, then took a big step forward in 2026 to hit .346/.441/.633 with 14 home runs and more walks (33) than strikeouts (31) in 52 games. Built strong at 6'3", 205 pounds, he has become a much more complete hitter with an approach that has improved from aggressive to middle of the road and bat to ball that has improved from solid to above average. The power has always been there and he's now tapping it more, giving him a shot to be an all-around bat that could project for 15-20 home runs and decent on-base percentages at peak. Contreras keeps things simple at the plate with a slightly crouched stance and a strong core to muscle balls out with an accurate barrel. He has never been much of a base stealer but he has looked very good in right field for the Titans, making center field a real possibility in pro ball and significantly boosting his profile should he vie for a starting role in a future New York outfield picture. Should he reach his middle projection as a fourth outfielder, his ability to play all three positions should help him stick around a long time. Contreras' youth (still 20 on draft day, more than a year younger than Brendan Brock) aids his projected development all around.

5-160: C Bear Harrison, Texas A&M
Slot value: $437,200. Signing bonus: $434,700 ($2,500 below slot value).
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. ESPN: #164.
The younger brother of Brewers lefty Kyle Harrison, Connor "Bear" Harrison (like the two names above him in this Yankees class) began his career close to home at Saint Mary's in California, but quickly transferred to Texas A&M for his sophomore season. He has become a reliable source of power for the Aggies and sent 27 of his 46 hits for extra bases in 2026, a product of the tremendous strength in his 6'3", 230 pound frame. Harrison's hands can be a bit slow to get going in his right handed swing and his bat is more sturdy than whippy through the zone, leading to some questions as to how he will be able to get to his power with wood, though he did hit a respectable .277/.351/.434 with a reasonable 17.5% strikeout rate in 26 games in the Cape Cod League last summer. The Bay Area native takes good at bats and offsets some of those pure bat to ball questions with good swing decisions, and as a catcher the offensive bar is not as high. Behind the plate, he has shown good aptitude to become an average or better defender, with New York mostly looking to iron out a few rough edges with his glovework and throwing. While Harrison may lack a standout tool, he has quite a few solid ones that could lead to his becoming a backup catcher with some thump and solid defense, with the chance for a bit more if his power continues to come along.

6-189: 3B Andrew Gonzalez, Americas HS [TX]
Slot value: $341,800. Signing bonus: $375,000 ($33,200 above slot value).
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. ESPN: #236.
Getting a prep bat near slot value in the sixth round is a nice find, and the Yankees will sway Andrew Gonzalez away from a Texas Tech commitment for a reasonable $375K. He's a big lefty power bat that has filled out his 6'1" frame nicely, helping him turn on baseballs and muscle them out to all fields with minimal effort. He has long performed well against El Paso high school competition, though he will face a considerable step up in pro ball and may spend some extra time in complex ball. Drafted as a third baseman, he has been up to 91 on the mound with mechanics that could easily be cleaned up to add another few ticks of velocity so the arm strength is certainly there. He'll need to work hard on his footwork to stick at the hot corner and could wind up at first base or an outfield corner, tying up most of his value in his bat. Gonzalez had previously been committed to New Mexico State but switched to Texas Tech late in the process.

8-248: RHP/DH Luke Pettitte, Dallas Baptist
Slot value: $223,100. Signing bonus: $172,500 ($50,600 below slot value).
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. ESPN: unranked.
Yes, it is that Pettitte. The son of longtime Yankees starter Andy Pettitte, Luke grew up in his father's hometown of Houston and stayed in-state to attend Dallas Baptist. He impressed with a 3.19 ERA and a 56/12 strikeout to walk ratio over 48 combined innings as a freshman and a sophomore, then opened more eyes on the Cape with a 5.55 ERA but a much more impressed 33/4 strikeout to walk ratio over 24.1 innings. Tommy John surgery seemingly wiped out his 2026 season, so he took over as DH instead and slashed .337/.403/.693 with 16 home runs in 42 games. The Yankees saw the arm, saw the bat, and said "why not both?" On the mound, he sits in the low 90's with his fastball and reaches the mid 90's in relief, adding a hard slider that he has good feel for and a solid changeup. While the stuff is more average, he takes after his father with plus command that should help him effectively dice up low minors competition once healthy, though he'll need to add a few extra ticks across the board to find success as a starter in the upper minors and the big leagues. He has had success as a reliever and could see his stuff tick up in that role as well. At the plate, he has a big righty swing geared towards pulling balls in the air, showing off above average exit velocities that could climb to plus power if he focuses more on hitting. He makes good contact, but he chases more often than you'd like to see and walked just 8.7% of the time this past season. That should improve as he gets more reps in the box, with the chance to be an average hitter with plus power at peak. It's unknown where he'd fit in the field, as he has mostly pitched to this point and couldn't play the field in 2026 recovering from surgery. He is not the fleetest of foot and may fit at first base if he goes the bat route. It remains to be seen which direction New York develops him but he has intriguing upside both ways.

10-308: SS Bayram Hot, Louisville
Slot value: $193,000. Signing bonus: $7,500 ($185,500 below slot value).
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. ESPN: unranked.
The Yankees went local to close out the front half of the draft. Bayram Hot grew up in Queens' Sunnyside neighborhood just six miles south of Yankee Stadium and attended Archbishop Molloy High School in nearby Briarwood, then began his college career at Marist. He hit .382 as a freshman then posted more pedestrian numbers as a sophomore in 2024, but still earned an opportunity to transfer to Louisville. There he hit .326 and .330 as a junior and as a senior, respectively, knocking a career high nine home runs in 2026 to boot. Hot has a whippy right handed swing that shoots the ball around the field with tremendous consistency, enabling him to perform just as well against better weekend pitching in conference play (.330/.460/.536) as he did outside of it. A relatively patient hitter, his pure bat to ball is closer to average and led to higher strikeout rates, but again, he managed to keep roughly the same strikeout rate in conference play versus outside of it so he has never been afraid of quality pitching. Hot has below average power but began to elevate the ball better in 2026, lending hope he can tap enough in pro ball to keep pitchers honest. Drafted as a shortstop, he spent the 2026 season at third base in deference to Alex Alicea and it remains to be seen where he ends up on the infield. Hot has a strong 6'2" frame and has a chance to sneak up through the Yankees' minor league rungs with his high baseball IQ and knack for line drives.

18-548: OF Blake Cyr, Florida
Slot value: up to $150,000. Signing bonus: $150,000.
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. ESPN: unranked.
Blake Cyr is as well-known to Florida scouts as anybody at this point. A talented prep coming out of his Orlando-area high school, he started his career at Miami and lit the world on fire hitting .305/.427/.620 with 17 home runs as a true freshman in 2023, garnering consensus Freshman All-American honors. He missed time with injury in 2024, then transferred to Florida for his junior season in 2025. After posting more pedestrian numbers and going undrafted that year, he returned in 2026 and bounced back to nearly match his freshman performance with 14 home runs and a .316/.398/.591 line. Cyr has a violent right handed swing that produces above average power that has tormented hitters when he's been hot. He's an aggressive hitter who rarely walks, but his solid bat to ball also helps keep the strikeouts down. He's a streaky hitter who has typically performed better against softer non-conference competition, but he has the power and bat to ball combination to make for great building blocks. Cyr was originally recruited as a shortstop and has seen time at second base in college, which would boost his defensive profile if he can make it work in pro ball. Cyr probably projects as a fringy corner outfielder, a tough profile as a right handed hitter, but a bat-first second second baseman has a few more paths to playing time and he could be a sleeper to work his way up to become a potent bench bat.

Friday, July 18, 2025

2025 MLB Draft Review: New York Yankees

Full list of draftees

The Yankees were supposed to pick #29, #65, and again after the second round as compensation for losing Juan Soto, but they wound up with just the #39 pick instead due to a combination of salary overages and the signing of Max Fried. That left them with the smallest bonus pool of any team – less than $5.4 million, all together just about the slot value of a mid-first round pick – and very little flexibility to get creative with this draft. That's how it went, with a very straightforward class that neither played many games around over and under slot bonuses nor chased high upside. After starting with a pair of shortstops, they moved into a fairly pitching-heavy class the rest of the way with 13 pitchers over their next 19 picks. Highlights of the class of course include first rounder Dax Kilby, an all-around ballplayer with a chance to play a steady role in the Bronx for a long time, Bronx native Richie Bonomolo Jr., the sons of former MLB infielders Jeff Kent and Mark Grudzielanek, one of the most effective sliders in the country coming from Blake Gillespie, and a 6'8" JuCo arm in Hayden Morris.
Full index of team reviews hereFull rankings here.
Note that the number before a player's name indicates their draft position. For example, "2-50" would indicate that a player was taken in the second round with the fiftieth overall pick.

1-39: SS Dax Kilby, Newnan HS [GA]
Slot value: $2.51 million. Signing bonus: $2.8 million ($290,500 above slot value).
My rank: #52. MLB Pipeline: #62. Baseball America: #75.
Two years after drafting George Lombard in the first round, the Yankees went back to the prep ranks for a similar prospect in Dax Kilby. Besides having an elite baseball name, Kilby is a darn good player and a scout favorite. Hailing from the town of Newnan on the outskirts of the Atlanta metro, also the hometown of legendary country music singer Alan Jackson, Kilby has long been a known commodity but has really come on strong in the past calendar year. He's beginning to fill out a lean, physical 6'2" frame and thereby adding impact to his already polished game, pushing his stock over the top into a first round selection. He hits from a simple setup that translates into a leveraged left handed swing, helping him drive the ball with authority to all fields and, increasingly, over the fence. It's a disciplined approach that helps him consistently find pitches to drive even against advanced competition, and now that he's impacting the ball more, it could translate into 15-25 home runs per season with high on-base percentages. An above average runner, he showed very well at the MLB Draft Combine not just with his hitting but for his speed and athleticism, adding to the heat behind his name. At this point, Kilby is not a lock to stick at shortstop, as he's not quite as explosive as other top defenders in the class and his more deliberate style on ground balls may fit better at second or third base. Still, he should hit enough wherever he ends up, and overall projects as a well-rounded addition to a future Yankees lineup. He had been committed to Clemson but figures to sign for a large bonus, perhaps $3 million-plus, with the Yankees here.

3-103: SS Kaeden Kent, Texas A&M
Slot value: $744,400. Signing bonus: $744,400.
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: #185.
The Yankees' first college selection of the draft comes in the form of Kaeden Kent, another infielder with solid tools across the board. The son of 2000 NL MVP Jeff Kent, Kaeden worked a part time role at Texas A&M and showed well over his first two seasons. Spending 2025 as the Aggies' starting shortstop, he posted good-not-great numbers amidst an extremely disappointing season for the Texas A&M club as a whole. Kent shows below average raw power, but his ability to whip the barrel through the zone and elevate the ball to the pull side helps that power play up a bit in games, ending up with 13 home runs in 2025. He likely won't threaten twenty home runs in the majors, but his left handed bat will play well at Yankee Stadium and he could provide 10-15 home runs per season at peak. Kent's hit tool is where he shines, with strong plate discipline and bat to ball helping him walk (14.7%) more than he struck out (13.9%) against A&M's difficult schedule. It is a pro-ready bat that also handled tough Cape Cod pitching very well back in 2023 (.329/.405/.430), though the numbers dipped in his second year there in 2024 (.257/.328/.333) and he didn't perform well in SEC play either this spring. Defensively, the Austin native has seen time all around the infield projects to be at least capable at any position despite fringy speed, with a sound glove and enough arm to make most of it work. In an every day capacity, he probably fits better at second or third base, but in the reserve/platoon role he's likely destined for at the major league level, he can handle shortstop on an occasional basis where needed.

4-134: LHP Pico Kohn, Mississippi State
Slot value: $550,300. Signing bonus: not yet announced.
My rank: #130. MLB Pipeline: #122. Baseball America: #168.
This feels like an arm that the Yankees will get the most from. Pico Kohn was a known commodity at Chilton County High School in Central Alabama, but made it to campus at Mississippi State and showed well out of the bullpen as a freshman in 2022, though Tommy John surgery wiped out his sophomore campaign. Joining the rotation in 2024, he earned some draft interest but ultimately went back to school, where some rough outings inflated his ERA but he ultimately showed well enough to become a priority senior sign. Kohn sits in the low 90's and touches 95, modest velocity these days, though the pitch plays up a bit with flat plane from a deceptive slot. An above average slider is his best pitch, getting nice dive across the plate and missing a ton of bats in 2025, while he has shown some feel for a changeup to give him a third big league pitch. Kohn's command has improved considerably in Starkville and now looks average, which combined with an athletic 6'4" frame and a repeatable delivery gives him a chance to start at the major league level. He'll turn 23 right at the start of the offseason and will want to move quickly, but he's advanced enough to do so as a tall, seasoned three pitch lefty. The Yankees have done well with similar arms and figure to add him to the back of their rotation at some point in the next couple of seasons.

6-194: RHP Rory Fox, Notre Dame
Slot value: $319,800. Signing bonus: not yet announced.
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: #288.
Rory Fox has long been a do-it-all athlete who has gradually narrowed his focus over the last few years. A state champion quarterback at Catholic Memorial High School in the Milwaukee area, he focused on baseball at Notre Dame where he was initially recruited as a two-way player. He never got to hit much and more recently took to pitching only, leading to a very strong 2025 in which he eventually pitched his way into the Friday night (ace) role. Fox sits in the low 90's with his fastball and touches 96, showing some riding life negated by a higher release point. He can cut the fastball a little or turn it over into a true slider, a pair of pitches that often served as the key to his success, while a less used curveball and changeup round out a full arsenal. While he doesn't get great extension down the mound, Fox's athleticism helped him stick around the zone with fringe-average command. That athleticism combined with his big league 6'3" frame and deep arsenal gives him the chance to become a #4 or #5 starter, but he could surprise and rise higher if he continues his upward trajectory now that he's focusing on pitching only.

7-224: OF Richie Bonomolo Jr., Alabama
Slot value: $252,100. Signing bonus: not yet announced.
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: #358.
There haven't been many major leaguers from the Bronx lately, but the Yankees are looking to corner the market with Andrew Velazquez and now Richie Bonomolo Jr. Bonomolo grew up in the shadow of Yankee Stadium, playing high school ball at Cardinal Hayes High School just half a mile down Grand Concourse, then went away to Wabash Valley JC in Illinois before transferring to Alabama for his junior year. He showed well in his lone season in Tuscaloosa, producing nearly identical chase, contact, and exit velocity data to Yankees third rounder Kaeden Kent. Bonomolo is undersized at 5'11", in contrast to the big, physical ballplayers New York likes to target, but takes big right handed hacks that allow him to show some moderate thump in games, likely enough for up to about ten home runs per season. His above average bat to ball ability and strong approach allow him to swing like that without running high strikeout rates, though most of the power is to the pull side and will likely always be that way. Bonomolo is an above average runner with excellent instincts in the outfield, giving him every opportunity to provide value in center field for the Yankees. The lack of power likely relegates him to a fourth outfielder role in the long run, where he should show well at all three positions.

9-284: RHP Blake Gillespie, Charlotte
Slot value: $196,600. Signing bonus: not yet announced.
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: #231.
The Yankees picked up a very interesting arm in the ninth round. Blake Gillespie began his career at Georgia, but struggled mightily to a 13.74 ERA over two seasons and transferred out to Charlotte for his junior year. To say he improved would be an understatement – Gillespie tossed an eleven strikeout no-hitter against James Madison in March, finished the season with the fourth most strikeouts (131) in all of Division I baseball (and in four fewer appearances than any of the names ahead of him), and ultimately won the AAC Pitcher of the Year award. He did so on the strength of his slider. It's a plus pitch with nasty, late dive that hitters constantly chase down out of the zone because they can't pick it up, and even if they do, they can't find the bottom. The Southwestern Ontario native leaned heavily on the pitch, throwing it more than his fastball, and hitters still couldn't hit it. He also adds a low 90's fastball that touches 96 with riding action, giving him a second potentially above average pitch. Gillespie will use his changeup against left handed hitters but mostly relies on the fastball and slider. His command improved considerably in 2025 as he ran just a 4.9% walk rate and now looks average. The 6'2" righty has a bit of an interesting delivery, as he follows a high leg lift with a really soft landing and short extension, almost like he's stopping his delivery halfway through and just tossing the ball in off his back foot. Given that he's up to 96, it's a testament to his arm strength and you can bet the Yankees will look to smooth that out a little and gain another tick or two on the fastball. Because he relies so heavily on his slider, it's easy to peg this as a relief profile, but the Yankees may try to develop him as a starter and bring that changeup along. It's a fun profile that the player development staff can get creative with.

19-584: RHP Hayden Morris, Blinn JC [TX]
Slot value: up to $150,000. Signing bonus: has not yet signed.
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: unranked.
This is an interesting one, though it's looking iffy whether he'll actually sign. Hayden Morris missed his freshman season at Blinn College due to injury, but came back this year and showed big stuff from a big frame. The fastball sits low to mid 90's and touches 97 at peak, playing up because he uses his huge 6'8" frame to extend down the mound and release the ball right in front of hitters. He has a tight low to mid 80's breaking ball that helped him miss bats, and in the end it helped him to a perfect 10-0 season with over 100 strikeouts for the Buccaneers. Command is a question right now post-surgery, but he looks durable and the longer he stays healthy on the mound, the more he should build up in that regard. Morris has a ton of upside with his size and arm strength, and if he signs, the Yankees will work to bring along the command as well as add a third pitch. He is just 20 years old and could return to Brenham for his redshirt sophomore season, where he'll be age-appropriate for the 2026 draft.

20-614: SS Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek, Southern California
Slot value: up to $150,000. Signing bonus: $150,000.
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: unranked.
Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek has been a known commodity on the West Coast for a long time and will look to do the same on the East Coast. The son of former All Star and Gold Glove winner Mark Grudzielanek, Bryce began his career at UCLA but never saw the field, so he transferred to USC for his sophomore year in 2023. A steady performer when healthy for the Trojans, he'll depart a career .296/.377/.446 hitter over 136 games. He comes with the prototypical size at 6'3", 185 pounds, though that size has led to just modest power in Los Angeles. A relatively aggressive hitter, he does run into strikeout problems (22.3% in 2025) and will need to shore up the approach in pro ball. His glove will carry him after starting 59 of USC's 60 games at shortstop in 2025, with steady, confident actions in the dirt that will help him stick there long term. As the son of a longtime major leaguer, the Yankees will take the size, defense, and bloodlines and see if they can't develop Martin-Grudzielanek into a utility infielder.

Sunday, July 28, 2024

2024 MLB Draft Review: New York Yankees

Full list of draftees

There was no secret to the Yankees' strategy this year: college pitching, college pitching, and more college pitching. Each of the team's first seven picks were college arms from either the SEC or the ACC, though they certainly mixed up profiles within that demographic. Greysen Carter and his 103 MPH fastball with zero command represent one extreme, while Gage Ziehl and his pitchability/makeup over stuff profile represent the other (though I don't want to sell him short – he did hit 97). Many pitchers of course fell in between, with New York looking for strong combinations of stuff and physicality, hoping to bring in the next generation of starting pitchers.
Full index of team reviews hereFull rankings here.
Note that the number before a player's name indicates their draft position. "2-50" would indicate that a player was drafted in the second round with the fiftieth overall pick.

1-26: RHP Ben Hess, Alabama {video}
Slot value: $3.33 million. Signing bonus: $2.75 million ($585,400 below slot value).
My rank: #44. MLB Pipeline: #44. Baseball America: #38.
This was a bit of a surprising pick to start things off for New York, but Ben Hess brings considerable upside for a college arm and saved the team over half a million dollars against their bonus pool. After showing well as a freshman at Alabama in 2022, he impressed scouts with a red hot start to 2023 but got shut down with a flexor strain after seven starts. Fully healthy in 2024, he had an up and down season but showed enough ups to still sneak into the back of the first round. Hess is a mountain of a man at 6'5", 255 pounds, and he looks it. The arm talent is undeniable, beginning with a fastball that sits in the mid 90's and has reached as high as 99 with impressive riding action. His plus curveball misses a ton of bats with power two-plane break, while his slider gives him another above average breaking ball. He has shown feel for a solid changeup at times, flashing above average, though he hasn't found it consistently in games. Everything plays up further because Hess creates great extension with his big frame and gets a lower release than you'd expect for his size, making for as complete of a profile as you're going to find, metric-wise. Of course, there's more to pitching than just stuff and size, and that's where the questions come in. The Downstate Illinois native has battled injuries throughout his career, with 2024 being his first fully healthy season in a long time. Meanwhile, and I would wager this is highly correlated, his command has fluctuated. He has shown average, even above average command at times, but he was much too inconsistent in that regard in 2024 and pessimists may put a fringe-average grade there. Personally, although he was technically healthy in 2024, I think he needs to string together a little more consistent time on the mound to really settle back into that groove after never throwing more than 36.1 innings in a season before. He'll certainly need to watch his conditioning going forward to withstand a pro workload, and if he proves durable, he moves well enough on the mound to get back to average, if not above average command in the long run. Combine that with his wicked stuff, and he could be, dare I say, an ace at the big league level. A lot does need to go right to get there, though.

2-53: RHP Bryce Cunningham, Vanderbilt {video}
Slot value: $1.72 million. Signing bonus: $2.3 million ($576,300 above slot value).
My rank: #46. MLB Pipeline: #63. Baseball America: #39.
After grabbing Ben Hess for an under slot deal at #26 worth roughly the value of the #33 pick, they went almost exactly as high above slot value to grab Bryce Cunningham in the second round at #53, where his $2.3 million bonus was worth roughly the value of the #41 pick. Cunningham is a bit of a polarizing prospect, but an interesting one with upside for sure. After working as a swingman in 2022 and 2023, he moved to the rotation full time in 2024 to inconsistent results, producing some downright dominant outings while faltering in others. With Cunningham, it all starts with the fastball. He sits comfortably in the low to mid 90's and has reached back for as much as 99 in short stints while topping out closer to 97 in longer outings. Thrown with pretty good extension and a pretty low release point compared to his 6'5" frame, the pitch's above average riding action helps the fastball play up to plus, though its results were more good than great against top SEC hitters. He relies heavily on an excellent changeup with tremendous running action, a pitch with true plus potential as well. His slider is a bit behind, coming in with short, tight break that can tie hitters up with its mid 80's velocity but which overall projects as just a fringy to average pitch. It's a pretty compact, repeatable delivery from a big, durable frame, though his control is ahead of his command and like quite a few top Vanderbilt pitchers before him, he can get hit a little bit in the zone if he falls behind in the count or gets too comfortable. The Yankees are buying the size, special arm strength, and changeup here, with the hopes that they can figure something out with the breaking ball. If he can take a step forward in that regard while holding onto average command, he's a legitimate mid-rotation starting pitcher. Cunningham will look to continue what's become a line of Yankees pitchers from small towns in Alabama, joining David Robertson, Chase Whitley, and Clay Holmes off the top of my head.

3-89: RHP Thatcher Hurd, Louisiana State {video}
Slot value: $838,900. Signing bonus: $837,400 ($1,500 below slot value).
My rank: #97. MLB Pipeline: #114. Baseball America: #128.
Thatcher Hurd feels like a very Yankees pick. Considered a potential second round pick out of high school in Southern California, he instead removed himself from the 2021 draft so that he could attend UCLA alongside Gage Jump, a fellow Southern Californian and arguably the top high school pitcher in the country to spurn the draft that year. Both ended up having a change of heart, as Hurd transferred to LSU after his freshman season and Jump followed him to Baton Rouge a year later. Hurd was uneven in his sophomore year in 2023 but showed enough to push himself into the first round conversation, then struggled in 2024 and lost his spot a crowded Tigers rotation. The 6'4" righty has big stuff. His fastball sits in the low to mid 90's and has been up to 98 in short stints, at times showing big time riding life but at others flattening out a bit. His best trait is his feel for spin, with a pair of power breaking balls that flash plus at best with hard bite, though the slider is more consistent than the curveball and he didn't always show the feel to execute either of them how he wanted to in 2024. At this point, he doesn't really use his changeup. Hurd has a pretty simple delivery but doesn't always repeat it, leading to below average command and a 12.7% walk rate over the past two seasons. His stuff gets more hittable as he falls behind in the count and leaves it over the plate, which lead to his 6.55 ERA this year. The Yankees are buying his power fastball and excellent ability to snap off a hard breaking ball, hoping they can mold the rest of the profile into a starting pitcher or perhaps a power reliever. This profile reminds me a little bit of 2022 sixth rounder Chase Hampton, who is progressing nicely in the Yankees' system.

4-119: RHP Gage Ziehl, Miami {video}
Slot value: $606,700. Signing bonus: likely to be around slot value, perhaps slightly above.
My rank: #77. MLB Pipeline: #89. Baseball America: #110.
This might be my favorite pick in the Yankees' class if they can get him for a reasonable bonus. Gage Ziehl is an Upstate New Yorker, hailing from the outer Rochester suburb of Macedon, where he attended Penfield High School and earned an eleventh round selection by the Cubs as a senior. After spending three years at Miami and amassing 227.2 innings for the Hurricanes, he'll come back home to the Empire State. The. fastball sits in the low to mid 90's and has touched 97 with solid riding life, playing up a bit from a somewhat lower release point. He has great feel for his cutter/slider, which he can tighten up around 90 or manipulate to get more sweep in the mid 80's, which is still plenty hard. It's an above average pitch. There's also a changeup in there with some promise, but he doesn't use it too much just yet. For Ziehl, everything plays up because he pounds the strike zone with conviction, going right after hitters and challenging them with his solid stuff. He shows plus command on top of that, which more than makes up for his stuff being more above average than plus, so he can really execute in the zone. Scouts rave about his competitiveness as well. Sturdily built at 6', 225 pounds, he lacks projection but still looks like a bona fide #3/#4 starting pitcher who can eat plenty of innings, which he's done with 31 starts and 192 innings over the past two seasons at Miami. This pick somewhat reminds me of 2021 second rounder Brendan Beck given Ziehl's pitchability and competitive fire, though while Beck looked brilliant in his short healthy stint in 2023, he has battled injuries for a long time and has just those 34 pro innings to his name.

5-152: RHP Greysen Carter, Vanderbilt {video}
Slot value: $440,100. Signing bonus: $440,100.
My rank: #181. MLB Pipeline: #226. Baseball America: #161.
Greysen Carter is virtually the opposite of Gage Ziehl as a pitcher. While Ziehl has been as steady as they come as a stalwart member of the Miami rotation, Carter was once cut from the Vanderbilt team because he simply could not throw strikes. He worked his way back onto the team and has since spent the last two seasons serving as a swingman, albeit to uneven results with the same poor command. Carter's stuff is undeniable. The fastball sits in the upper 90's and has reached as high as 103, and it seems like it's coming even harder than that because he gets over six and a half feet of extension. He rips off a power curveball that looks like an above average pitch when he locates it, but he lacks feel to land it in the zone. The changeup, perhaps unsurprisingly, comes in a little too firm and again he lacks true feel for it. The command, as mentioned, is well below average and he has walked nearly 20% of the hitters he's faced in college, with his 16.4% rate in 2024 representing a career-best. Carter did throw one gem against Missouri in late March, allowing just four baserunners and one unearned run over 8.1 innings while striking out eleven, but that turned out to be his only outing of the season of greater than four innings. Carter's arm strength does not grow on trees. In fact, it really doesn't grow anywhere. The Yankees are getting a truly special arm talent here, albeit one in need of significant refinement. He's probably a reliever when it's said and done but you never know with guys like this – he lacks the command and secondaries, but at 6'4", 235 pounds, it's not like the Denver-area product lacks the physicality or arm strength to start.

6-181: LHP Griffin Herring, Louisiana State {video}
Slot value: $339,600. Signing bonus: $797,500 ($457,900 above slot value).
My rank: #165. MLB Pipeline: #157. Baseball America: #172.
Griffin Herring, a draft-eligible sophomore who turned 21 in May, signed for more than double slot value in the sixth round for third round money (close to pick #92). He showed well out of the LSU bullpen as a freshman in 2023, then was quietly one of the most reliable arms in the SEC in 2024 while again pitching out of the bullpen due to LSU's crowded rotation. Although he's a two-pitch bullpen guy, he does have a good chance to start in pro ball. The fastball is not overwhelming, sitting in the low 90's and topping out around 95 with more run than ride, though it plays up because he gets above average extension towards the plate. He throws an above average slider nearly as much as his fastball, which itself plays up because he has great feel to locate it to both sides of the plate. Herring is sturdily built at 6'2" and repeats his delivery well, showing above average command of both pitches and effectively maximizing his results with his pitching savvy. If the Yankees want him to start, he'll have to add a changeup and prove his command can hold together in longer stints.

7-211: RHP Wyatt Parliament, Virginia Tech {video}
Slot value: $265,800. Signing bonus: $199,350 ($66,450 below slot value).
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: #478.
The Yankees got another New Yorker here, and Wyatt Parliament comes from wayyy upstate. He hails from tiny La Fargeville, population 733, which is located eighty miles north of Syracuse and fifteen miles north of Watertown/Fort Drum, close to the Canadian border. He began his career at Rutgers, where he served as both a starter and a reliever but struggled with consistency. Transferring to Virginia Tech after two seasons, he struggled to a career-worst 7.63 ERA in 2024 but his peripherals point to the potential for much stronger performance. So does the stuff. His fastball sits in the low 90's and has gotten up to 97, but it plays way above its velocity with riding and running life and a low release point. In fact, it's probably one of the sneakier fastballs in the class. He also shows a solid slider with some sweep, which plays well when he locates it but too often gets hit when he leaves it over the plate. At this point, he doesn't show much of a changeup. Parliament has long arm action and a three quarters arm slot, creating both a funky look and a much lower release point than most pitchers at hist 6'4" stature. Additionally, while many fastballs can run like his in that slot, few ride as much as his and that makes it really tough to square up the fastball up in the zone. Additionally, Parliament pounds the strike zone, showing average command of both his fastball and slider, though the control is ahead of the command. To top it off, he's extremely young for a college junior and won't turn 21 until January, making him nearly nine months younger than true sophomore Griffin Herring. I think the 7.63 ERA was both a fluke and potentially a usage issue and that he could become a legitimate fastball/slider reliever for the Yankees.

11-331: RHP Mack Estrada, Northwest Florida State JC {video}
Slot value: up to $150,000. Signing bonus: likely well above that that if he signs.
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: #273.
$115,900. It's unclear whether Mack Estrada will sign, but it appears that the Yankees have some money to offer him against a Florida State commitment. With only fourth rounder Gage Ziehl, Estrada, and 20th rounder Cole Royer unsigned, the Yankees have $722,600 left in their bonus pool and over $1.1 million if they use the 5% overage. Assume Ziehl signs for slot value and those numbers become $115,900 and $406,725, respectively, so the Yankees could likely offer Estrada around half a million dollars so long as Ziehl doesn't go too far above slot value. Estrada showed well as a freshman at Northwest Florida State, especially early in the season, though he faded down the stretch a bit. While the fastball touched 96 early on, it settled more in the low 90's as the year progressed, coming in with heavy, late running life. He tosses a solid slider with great finish to miss bats, while his changeup is coming along as well. With long arm action and a bit of a raw delivery, he struggled with command at times as well. Estrada has projection remaining in his 6'4" frame and will need to build up his durability in order to start in pro ball, but the Yankees think they can get him there as he has both the stuff and size to start.

14-421: 2B Austin Green, Texas Tech {video}
Slot value: up to $150,000. Signing bonus: $150,000.
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: #303.
The Yankees picked up a well-rounded bat here in the fourteenth round. Austin Green began his career at Weatherford JC in Texas, then after two seasons transferred to Texas Tech where he was one of the Red Raiders' best hitters in 2023 and 2024. While he lacks a carrying tool, he also lacks many true weaknesses. With a compact 6' frame, the switch hitter unleashes a pair of simple but powerful swings to drive the ball to all fields effectively. He has average raw pop that he taps in games, with the potential for 10-15 home runs per season at peak. He also makes plenty of contact and takes professional at bats, helping him run a minuscule 9.7% strikeout rate in 2024. He won't be a star or hit fourth at Yankee Stadium, but it's the kind of profile that can sneak up on you and earn every day playing time towards the bottom of the lineup if he keeps hitting up the ladder. The East Texas native is also a solid runner who has played mostly second base and right field during his time in Lubbock, with the ability to handle left field as well for the Yankees. The defensive versatility will help as he looks for a place to sneak his bat into the lineup in New York. He's a senior sign, but he's on the younger side for that class and only turned 22 in May.

Saturday, July 22, 2023

2023 MLB Draft Review: New York Yankees

Full list of draftees

The Yankees lost their second and fifth round draft picks after signing Carlos Rodon, pulling in a college-heavy class after starting with one of the best high school shortstops in the country. It's a class that fits the Yankees' developmental strengths, focusing on hitters with strong batted ball data more so than positional flexibility as well as pitchers with power arms and projectable offspeed stuff.
Full index of team reviews hereFull rankings here.
Note that the number before a player's name indicates their draft position. "2-50" would indicate that a player was drafted in the second round with the fiftieth overall pick.

1-26: SS George Lombard, Gulliver HS [FL] {video}
Slot value: $3.07 million. Signing bonus: $3.3 million ($235,000 above slot value).
My rank: #27. MLB Pipeline: #31. Baseball America: #31. Prospects Live: #28.
The Yankees were consistently tied to a slew of prep bats towards the end of the draft cycle, and the rumors came true when they picked up George Lombard, a toolsy shortstop out of Florida. He had been a bit streaky throughout much of his prep career, but he came out of the gate red hot during his senior season and never looked back. Standing 6'3", he is beginning to fill out his projectable, athletic frame and has plenty of room to continue adding strength naturally. He channels that strength into a powerful right handed swing that produces above average power for now, and his swing is geared to tap it in games. As I mentioned, the hit tool had been streaky at times, but when he's going right, you can't get anything by him. Fool Lombard once, and he'll adjust within the at bat to ensure you can't get the same pitch by him again. It's a really well-rounded offensive profile for a kid who just turned 18 in June, putting him on the younger side for the high school class. In the field, there are split opinions on whether he sticks at shortstop, but I think he has a good shot. The arm is closer to average than plus, but it plays up because he has a quick release and the body control and the ability to throw from multiple angles. Foot speed will be the other determining factor, as he's a solid runner for now but may slow down as he gets stronger. Still, with the potential for 20+ home runs per season and high on-base percentages while likely sticking in the infield, it's a potential All Star profile that is well worth the over slot bonus here to keep him from a Vanderbilt commitment.

3-97: LHP Kyle Carr, Palomar JC [CA] {video}
Slot value: $692,000. Signing bonus: $692,000.
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: #174. Baseball America: #123. Prospects Live: #280.
It was down year for junior college prospects, allowing Kyle Carr to push to the front and be the first one drafted this year. He began his career at San Diego but didn't make much of an impact, instead transferring to Palomar College in his hometown of San Marcos, California. Carr was lights out for the Comets, going 12-1 with a 2.31 ERA and a 111/19 strikeout to walk ratio over 78 innings, looking stronger and stronger as the season progressed and closing it out with back to back scoreless starts of double digit strikeouts against Southwestern and East Los Angeles. The 6'1" lefty sits in the low to mid 90's with his fastball and touches 97, holding that velocity throughout his starts with nice life as well. His slider has sweeping action but is very inconsistent at this point, needing to add significant power in order for its bite to play better. While he rarely uses his changeup, it's actually ahead of his slider at this point with fading action to the arm side when he commands it. Carr is skinny but has room to fill out, with a very athletic delivery that helps him generate his velocity effortlessly while pounding the strike zone. The Yankees likely see this as a package they can continue to refine over the long term, with all the puzzle pieces in place already to become a starting pitcher with more development. Though his fastball is his lone established average pitch, it's not hard to imagine a strong Yankees pitching development system bringing those secondaries along. He fits very well in this organization and signed away from a TCU commitment for slot value to get there.

4-129: 2B Roc Riggio, Oklahoma State {video}
Slot value: $506,800. Signing bonus: has not yet signed.
My rank: #156. MLB Pipeline: #130. Baseball America: #139. Prospects Live: #224.
If you watch college baseball, especially if you watched in 2022, then you know who Roc Riggio is. He was actually a well-known prep prospect as well out of Thousand Oaks High School in California, where he was teammates with A's 2021 first round pick Max Muncy and A's 2023 first round pick Jacob Wilson. Riggio had looks in the top five rounds, but made it to campus at Oklahoma State where he made an immediate impact, especially capturing national attention with his high energy, in-your-face style of play at the 2022 Stillwater Regional where he went 15-27 with four home runs in five games. Though he got more national exposure in 2022, Riggio quietly put together a better season in 2023 where he slashed .335/.461/.679 with 18 home runs and a 48/46 strikeout to walk ratio over 59 games. He's a compact player at just 5'9", but he leaves it all on the field with big left handed hacks with natural loft and adjustability to help him hit for power and average despite average exit velocities. He did struggle on the Cape a little bit last summer (.200/.258/.339) and we'll see how the power plays with wood, but he's still trending in the right direction and has a long track record of hitting quality pitching dating back to his prep days. Defensively, the Southern California native isn't remarkable, with a gritty style of play that will work at second base or the potential to move to left field with his fringy arm and speed. The Yankees are buying the bat and the energy here and he'll look to provide both.

6-192: RHP Cade Smith, Mississippi State {video}
Slot value: $285,400. Signing bonus: $282,900 ($2,500 below slot value).
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: unranked. Prospects Live: #390.
Cade Smith did not rank highly on any public boards, but fits the Yankees profile of athletic, physical power arms. He has been a key cog in the Mississippi State rotation for a couple of years now, but never quite put it together in Starkville and in 2023 posted a 5.23 ERA and a 46/28 strikeout to walk ratio over 43 innings. He throws a low to mid 90's fastball that can touch 96 in relief, with nice life on the pitch that the Yankees can work with. His power slider has gotten harder and sits in the mid 80's now with lite tilt, and he can work it into more of a cutter in the upper 80's as well. The 6'1" righty is athletic on the mound with the sturdy frame to handle a future in the rotation, though to do so he'll have to clean up his inconsistent command that led to a 14.4% walk rate in 2023. He's cleaned up his delivery a little bit in Starkville but there's still more ground to cover. This seems like a project not too dissimilar to Chase Hampton a year ago (and Smith was selected just two picks later in his respective draft, #190 vs #192) and Hampton is quickly establishing himself as one of the best pitchers in the system.

7-222: 1B Kiko Romero, Arizona {video}
Slot value: $224,700. Signing bonus: $197,500 ($27,200 below slot value).
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: unranked. Prospects Live: #198.
Kiko Romero is a senior sign, set to turn 23 in September, but he has plenty of track record with the bat. He mashed for three years at Central Arizona JC, parlaying an especially huge 2022 season into a spot on the Arizona squad in 2023. He continued to rake in Tucson, slashing .345/.441/.724 with 21 home runs and a 56/36 strikeout to walk ratio over 59 games, putting up one of the better offensive seasons in the Pac-12. Only listed at 5'11", 185 pounds, he's plenty strong for his size and has room to continue filling out. He holds his hands high in his stance, with a slight hitch before bringing them down to with strong barrel accuracy and natural loft in his left handed swing. Romero produces strong batted ball data that should continue to play in pro ball, and he had no problem transitioning from the Arizona JuCo circuit to the Pac-12 while actually lowering his strikeout rate from 25.4% to 19.6%. The Tucson native could stand to get a little more disciplined in the box, which may be his biggest hurdle transitioning to pro ball, but he has a pretty adjustable barrel and has stepped up against good competition before. He played mostly first base at Arizona and that's where the Yankees drafted him, but he's a pretty good runner that actually stole 19 bases at Central Arizona last year and could make it work in a corner outfield spot. He profiles as a future bench/platoon bat with some power.

8-252: RHP Nicholas Judice, Louisiana-Monroe {video}
Slot value: $188,000. Signing bonus: $185,500 ($2,500 below slot value).
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: #175. Baseball America: #420. Prospects Live: #162.
The Yankees got great value here in the eighth round with Nicholas Judice. Another senior sign, he was an unremarkable reliever for three years at Louisiana-Monroe before his velocity took off in 2023 and he posted a 3.82 ERA and a 41/10 strikeout to walk ratio over 33 innings. Judice is a massive, 6'8" right hander that comes from a low, wide arm slot that creates an extremely unique look for hitters. He sits comfortably in the low to mid 90's but has the arm strength to eventually touch triple digits in short stints, with running and sinking life. The Baton Rouge native can also spin a nasty, sweeping slider that dives across the plate and flashes plus, while he's been working to incorporate a fringier changeup into the mix as well. Though he filled up the strike zone at ULM, he allowed more free passes in his brief Cape Cod League stint after the season and likely develops into average command. If the Yankees are willing to be patient with the 22 year old and work on the changeup and command, they could develop him into a back-end starter, but he fits better as a power fastball/slider reliever that provides a different look in high leverage spots.

10-312: RHP Brian Hendry, Oklahoma State {video}
Slot value: $164,400. Signing bonus: has not yet signed.
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: unranked. Prospects Live: unranked.
Out of the Yankees' eighteen picks this year, Brian Hendry was the only one from the northeast. A South Jersey native from Medford, where the Pine Barrens meet the Philadelphia suburbs, he pitched three years at St. John's from 2019-2021 but never put it together, finishing with a 5.12 career ERA. After missing the 2022 season, he showcased some impressive stuff in the Cape Cod League that summer and got picked up by Oklahoma State, but where he pitched to a 6.63 ERA and a 51/14 strikeout to walk ratio over 36.2 innings. Hendry sits in the low to mid 90's with his fastball, which can touch 97 in short stints with downhill plane and some riding action. He can really spin the ball, with a pair of distinct power breaking balls in a curveball and a slider that both miss bats in bunches, while his changeup gives him a fourth usable pitch. Though Hendry is experienced and has a pretty easy delivery, he is very much control over command and that ultimately led to his stuff getting hit over the plate. He was a swingman at Oklahoma State and may be able to continue earning spots in pro ball, but he'll have to tighten up that command in order to do so. As a fifth year senior sign, Hendry is also extremely old and will turn 24 in October, so he'll want to get moving up that pro ladder quickly.

15-462: C Tomas Frick, North Carolina {video}
Slot value: up to $150,000. Signing bonus: $150,000.
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: unranked. Prospects Live: #448.
This is more of a depth play than an upside play. UNC's starting catcher since he stepped on campus as a freshman, Tomas Frick broke out in 2023 by slashing .322/.408/.571 with 12 home runs and a 36/25 strikeout to walk ratio over 59 games. He lacks a standout tool, instead showing well in a broad array of categories. Frick makes a lot of contact from the right side, showing the ability to get to balls all over the zone with a quick bat and a simple swing. There's some sneaky power to the pull side, though he lacks projection in his compact 6' frame and will likely top out with fringy pop. The Upstate South Carolina native is also a solid defender behind the plate, making up for average actions with a strong arm and a frame built for blocking baseballs. Set to turn 23 in October, he profiles best as a backup catcher who could move relatively quickly.

18-552: OF Coby Morales, Washington {video}
Slot value: up to $150,000. Signing bonus: $150,000.
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: unranked. Prospects Live: unranked.
Coby Morales began his career at Cypress JC in California, then transferred to Washington. He was unremarkable as a sophomore in 2022, but broke out in 2023 by slashing .332/.432/.548 with 12 home runs and a 59/40 strikeout to walk ratio over 55 games. Morales is big and strong at 6'3", with above average power playing to all fields from big left handed hacks. A patient hitter, he does a good job of waiting for a pitch he can drive, though he can get in trouble deeper in counts with fringy pure bat to ball skills that lead to elevated strikeout rates. That's the tradeoff this late in the draft, but getting this kind of power/on-base combination in the eighteenth round is always a nice find. Morales is not a great runner and will likely be limited to an outfield corner, where he profiles as a power hitting platoon bat.

20-612: RHP Bryce Warrecker, Cal Poly {video}
Slot value: up to $150,000. Signing bonus: $150,000.
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: #286. Prospects Live: #433.
The second 6'8" righty drafted by the Yankees this year, Bryce Warrecker brings an interesting profile to the table. He didn't do much over his first two years at Cal Poly, but earned a spot in the Cape Cod League and was named the league's Most Outstanding Pitcher, where he posted a 2.03 ERA and a 36/8 strikeout to walk ratio over 40 innings. Returning to San Luis Obispo for his junior season, he turned in middling results with a 4.96 ERA and a 79/25 strikeout to walk ratio over 81.2 innings. Warrecker works off deception, coming from a low three quarters slot where he hides the ball well behind his big frame. The fastball sat in the low 90's on the Cape but dipped into the upper 80's at times with Cal Poly, and either way it's not likely to be an overpowering pitch in pro ball. His slider has shown flashes, with more depth at times and sweep at others, and it missed a lot of bats on the Cape. He also shows an above average changeup, giving him a solid three pitch mix. The Santa Barbara native commands everything well and kept advanced Cape hitters off balance consistently. In order to miss more bats in pro ball (he ran just a 22.6% strikeout rate on the Cape and 21.7% at Cal Poly this year), he'll need to find a way to add more power to his stuff, which may only come with a move to the bullpen. There, he could work as a junkballing reliever that gives hitters fits for a couple innings at a time.

Undrafted: RHP Aaron Nixon, Mississippi State {video}
Slot value: up to $150,000. Signing bonus: unreported.
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: unranked. Prospects Live: unranked.
The Yankees plucked one of the better undrafted arms in Aaron Nixon, who was a key piece of the Texas bullpen for two years before transferring to Mississippi State this year and posting a 2.66 ERA and a 24/10 strikeout to walk ratio over 20.1 innings. It's a power arm that gets up into the mid 90's in relief, while his downer slider has flashed plus at times and should get there consistently with pro coaching. A former two-way player out of high school in the Rio Grande Valley area, he's also a strong athlete on the mound that repeats his delivery fairly well, though the command is fringy. He's a pure reliever going forward but a sleeper that could move up quickly and provide the Yankees with middle innings help in the near future.

Sunday, July 31, 2022

2022 MLB Draft Review: New York Yankees

Full list of draftees

While some teams like to play with the bonus pool to go well above or below slot, the Yankees played this draft extremely straightforward by paying exact slot value for each of their first five picks, never going more than more than $233,500 above slot at any point, and never going more than $92,300 below slot. They're getting better and better at developing pitching, so in this draft they picked up fifteen college pitchers out of their twenty picks. In fact, all twenty of their selections this year came from the college ranks as they looked to pick up quick moving talent that can be up in the majors and contributing by 2024-2025. The Yankees like their guys big and physical, and that was certainly the case here with each of their first seven selections standing at least 6'2" and an average overall size of 6'3", 210 led by their first round selection Spencer Jones at 6'7". Lastly, the Yankees already have west coast flair on the team between Californians Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Gerrit Cole, Aaron Hicks, and Kyle Higashioka, and this draft heavily featured the west coast as well from top to bottom including in each of the first five picks.
Full index of team reviews hereFull rankings here.

1-25: OF Spencer Jones, Vanderbilt. My rank: #29.
Slot value: $2.88 million. Signing bonus: $2.88 million.
The Yankees started off their draft class with one of the more interesting profiles available. Spencer Jones was a highly touted two-way prospect who earned some first round interest out of high school in the San Diego area back in 2019, but he got hurt his senior year and opted to head east to Vanderbilt. Despite showing a low 90's fastball and an above average curveball from a projectable frame, he never got on the mound in Nashville after Tommy John surgery cost him a third consecutive season. Meanwhile, his bat has developed slowly but steadily and he's gotten better and better throughout his time in the program. He began to turn the corner with a strong (.309/.409/.457) run through the Cape Cod League last summer, then fully broke out by slashing .370/.460/.643 with 12 home runs and a 64/32 strikeout to walk ratio over 61 games this spring. Standing a towering 6'7", he'll fit right into that Yankee lineup with fellow hard hitting skyscrapers Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, and he draws a lot of parallels to the former. Jones hits the ball extremely hard with some of the best high end exit velocities in the class, helping him tap power consistently in games despite more of a line drive, all fields approach. Speaking of his approach, he takes very good at bats despite not following the most straightforward development path. While he does strike out at a high clip, that's more due to his long limbs creating a longer bat path than due to chasing bad pitches. He's also a great athlete for his size, one that runs well enough with plenty enough arm strength to be an above average right fielder in time or even take a shot at center field. It's a package of tools you don't see often, so despite the swing and miss questions, the Yankees are getting huge upside in a guy who could hit in the middle of their lineup within a few years. At his ceiling, that could mean 30+ home runs per season with high on-base percentages if he manages his strikeouts.

2-61: RHP Drew Thorpe, Cal Poly. My rank: #93.
Slot value: $1.19 million. Signing bonus: $1.19 million.
I remember watching Drew Thorpe hold Vanderbilt to just two runs over seven innings in his very first college game back in 2020 (and ironically struck out Spencer Jones to close out his first inning), and since then he has quietly been one of the best pitchers on the west coast. He was at his best this spring, posting a 2.32 ERA, a 0.86 WHIP, and a 149/25 strikeout to walk ratio over 104.2 innings highlighted by a fifteen strikeout performance against UC San Diego in March. Thorpe sits in the low 90's with his fastball and gets up to about 96 at his best, with some sneaky life on the pitch to boot. His best pitch by far is his changeup, a nasty offering with massive fading life. It's so good that he'll often pitch off of it rather than his fastball, something you rarely see at the amateur level. Previously, the southwestern Utah native struggled to spin a quality breaking ball, but his slider took a step forward this spring and now looks like an average pitch. Despite a delivery that can be a bit rushed at the end, Thorpe pounds the strike zone and rarely lets walks derail his outings. The Yankees will want to help continue improving his slider to give him a second out pitch, and his combination of stuff, command, and a sturdy 6'4" frame could help him move relatively quickly through the minors. While his stuff isn't quite explosive enough to warrant a potential top of the rotation projection, he's a good bet to become a mid-rotation guy in the near future.

3-100: RHP Trystan Vrieling, Gonzaga. My rank: #102.
Slot value: $611,400. Signing bonus: $611,400.
Gonzaga had a loaded pitching staff that featured Gabriel Hughes (now with the Rockies) and William Kepmner (Giants) as their two most famous names entering the season, but Vrieling made it a true three headed monster with a big junior season. He finished the year with a 4.91 ERA and a 107/46 strikeout to walk ratio over 80.2 innings, but he was much stronger early in the season (3.16 ERA, 79/25 K/BB through nine starts) before tiring later in the season (9.13 ERA, 28/21 K/BB over his final six starts). At his best, Vrieling features above average command of a very solid four pitch arsenal, looking like a potential #3 starter. His fastball sits in the low to mid 90's and tops out at 97 with steep plane and some riding life, while his curveball, slider, and changeup all flash above average. When he's going right, he can locate even the offspeed pitches well to both sides of the plate, making for a complete profile. However, his command deteriorated as he tired later in the season and he was hit hard, leaving him as a bit of an enigma. The 6'4" righty will need to build up his durability in the Yankees system and get more consistent with everything, and he's certainly in the right system to do so.

4-130: OF Anthony Hall, Oregon. My rank: #120.
Slot value: $456,500. Signing bonus: $456,500.
Anthony Hall is not a terribly dissimilar player to Spencer Jones, albeit with a half grade off the tools across the board. Also a San Diego-area product like Jones, he showed well in the Cape Cod League (.283/.382/.481, 4 HR) before breaking out this year at Oregon, where he slashed .333/.402/.640 with 14 home runs and a 43/24 strikeout to walk ratio over 60 games. Big and strong at 6'2", Hall can really put a charge into the ball with a leveraged, smooth left handed swing. He previously had trouble tapping that power in games as he didn't always swing at the best pitches, but he's progressively gotten more disciplined in the box and controls the strike zone much better now. That led to him increasing his isolated power (SLG minus AVG) from .184 last year to .307 this year while simultaneously dropping his strikeout rate from 21.7% to 16.6%. It's still a power over hit profile, but certainly a much more balanced one. Hall is a decent runner that can hold his own in a corner outfield spot, but he won't be a value add out there and it will be the bat that carries him up. At best, he profiles for 20-25 home runs a year with average on-base percentages, providing some nice upside for a guy whose floor is that of a platoon/bench bat with pop.

5-160: RHP Eric Reyzelman, Louisiana State. My rank: unranked.
Slot value: $340,700. Signing bonus: $340,700.
Eric Reyzelman has some of the loudest stuff in the Yankees draft class at his best. A San Francisco transfer, he pitched well on the Cape (2.93 ERA, 38/8 K/BB in 27.2 IP) before landing at LSU this spring, where he put up a 4.04 ERA and a 66/18 strikeout to walk ratio over 42.1 innings out of the bullpen. He loves to attack hitters with his fastball, which is easily his best pitch for now sitting in the mid 90's and touching 99 in short stints. It has a ton of riding and running life on it as well, making it very tough to square up. He has a cutter, slider, curveball, and changeup all in his pocket, but he usually leaves them there and sticks with the old #1 as he's much more confident in that fastball. The slider stands out as perhaps his best secondary with good shape, though he does need to sharpen it up. The 6'2" righty is a very good athlete that moves well on the mound with an athletic delivery, and the arm strength is clearly already there. The Yankees' player development system will need to help him choose a couple secondaries to focus on and also get more consistent with his command, and if they can, he has a sneaky chance to start. If not, he can just lean on the slider and watch his fastball approach triple digits, which I'm sure the Yankees would not mind. The San Francisco Bay Area native is a really fun ball of clay and it will be interesting to see what he looks like in a few years.

6-190: RHP Chase Hampton, Texas Tech. My rank: unranked.
Slot value: $264,000. Signing bonus: $497,500 ($233,500 above slot value).
The Yankees lone over slot bonus of the first ten rounds is Chase Hampton, a big righty out of Texas Tech. He was well known as a high school senior but went undrafted in the five round 2020 draft, so he headed across the state to Lubbock and has shown flashes of big potential. As a draft eligible sophomore this year, Hampton put up a 4.29 ERA and a 72/28 strikeout to walk ratio over 56.2 innings as the Red Raiders Sunday starter, finishing off the season with a twelve strikeout performance against Notre Dame at the Statesboro Regional. This seems like the kind of profile that could have gone back to school for his junior season and put it all together, which is why the Yankees bought in early with a large over slot bonus for a guy who went unranked on the MLB Pipeline top 250 and came in at #291 on the Baseball America 500 and #548 on Prospects Live. The fastball sits in the low to mid 90's but can touch the upper 90's early in his starts, showing nice riding action on the pitch. He mixes in a curveball, slider, and changeup, all of which flash potential and give the Yankees a lot to work with. Big and strong at 6'2", 225 pounds, the East Texas product has calmed down his delivery a bit since his high school days in Kilgore and has a chance to start if the Yankees are patient and get it right. He still needs to get more consistent with his secondaries and command but he's very young and brings a lot to the table. The profile is actually fairly similar to Eric Reyzelman above him, except that Hampton is much more physical (35 pounds heavier at the same height) and trusts his secondaries more while Reyzelman is thinner and more athletic with a little extra hop to his fastball at the same velocities.

7-220: RHP Cam Schlittler, Northeastern. My rank: unranked.
Slot value: $207,500. Signing bonus: $205,000 ($2,500 below slot value).
This is a big, strong pitcher that will be fun for the Yankees player development system to work with. Cam Schlittler had a nice season in the Northeastern rotation, where he out-pitched the more well known Sebastian Keane (also a Yankee draft pick) to the tune of a 3.53 ERA and an 85/32 strikeout to walk ratio over 91.2 innings. He's a huge guy listed at 6'6", and honestly he looks even taller standing up on that mound. The fastball sits in the low 90's but he can touch the mid to upper 90's when he reaches back, coming in with steep downhill plane albeit without much life. He shows great feel to spin the ball, with a sweepy slider flashing above average with great shape and a softer curveball looking average with more top to bottom movement. As with the two arms drafted before him, he does need to get more consistent with those secondaries and his command, but I think he'll get there. Schlittler is not a great athlete, relying more on his height than his lower body to get downhill towards the plate, though he does not throw with much effort and could start in pro ball. Perhaps toughest for some Yankees fans to get over will be the fact that he grew up in Walpole in the shadows of Gillette Stadium and less than twenty miles from Boston, so he's a New Englander through and through.

12-370: RHP Jackson Fristoe, Mississippi State. My rank: unranked.
Slot value: up to $125,000. Signing bonus: $272,500 ($147,500 against bonus pool).
Jackson Fristoe seemed like a good candidate to go back to school after a tough sophomore season, but the Yankees picked him up for a large day three bonus to see what they could make of him. After a solid freshman season at Mississippi State, Fristoe regressed in 2022 and posted a 7.71 ERA and a 48/19 strikeout to walk ratio over 37.1 innings for a Bulldogs team that fell far short of expectations. He has a premium body at 6'4" and moves very well on the mound, with a low to mid 90's fastball that can touch higher with life. He throws a sharp cutter/slider in the upper 80's that could be a true weapon if he gets more consistent with it, and also flashes a less used changeup that's effective when it's on. His command is presently below average and the Yankees will need to help streamline his long arms and legs into a more consistent delivery, but the pieces are certainly there to build on. It's a relief profile for now, but you never know. Though the western Kentucky native is eligible as a true sophomore, he's a full year older than his graduating class and already turned 21 in March.

14-430: RHP Kris Bow, Southern Nevada JC. My rank: unranked.
Slot value: up to $125,000. Signing bonus: $125,000.
Kris Bow has been one of the more interesting JUCO arms on the west coast for a few years now, and he finally put it all together with a great 2022 season in which he posted a 2.16 ERA and a 64/23 strikeout to walk ratio over 41.2 innings for the College of Southern Nevada. He has a low to mid 90's fastball with some riding life from a low release point, as well as a full arsenal of secondaries led by an above average slider. He has a very sturdy 6'4" frame and should be durable, but hasn't started on a consistent basis at CSN and he'll have to prove his stuff can hold up over longer periods of time. Still, he has a combination of size, arm strength, secondaries, and command that is difficult to find on day three of the draft, so he could be lightning in a bottle for New York. He just finished his third year at Southern Nevada after previously committing to transfer to Arizona, so he'll turn 22 early in the offseason.

18-550: RHP Sebastian Keane, Northeastern. My rank: #220.
Slot value: up to $125,000. Signing bonus: $125,000.
Sebastian Keane was one of the more famous recruits to ever reach campus at Northeastern, coming into Boston having spurned top five round interest out of his northern Massachusetts high school. He's been up and down for the Huskies, but unfortunately 2022 was more of a "down" and he finished with a 5.99 ERA and a 50/26 strikeout to walk ratio over 70.2 innings. Now he'll join rotation mate Cam Schlittler in the Yankees system, and they'll work to get him on track. Keane is a great athlete with a low 90's fastball that gets up to 96, while adding a slider that flashes plus at its best in addition to a less used curveball and changeup. The stuff can be extremely inconsistent, with his slider losing snap and his fastball sitting closer to 90 at times, and in 2022 he really struggled to miss bats. His 15.0% strikeout rate this year was by far the lowest on my list, a product of leaving too many pitches over the plate and that regression in his stuff. Still, he doesn't walk too many hitters and has shown flashes of dominance, such as in the Cape Cod League last summer, and has the athleticism and premium stuff at peak to become an impact arm. He's just really far away from that right now and trending in the wrong direction, which is why he's being drafted here in the eighteenth round and not thirteen to fourteen rounds higher like he was projected at his best. And one last piece of good news for Yankee fans – though he grew up in Massachusetts and went to college in Boston, Keane did grow up a Yankees fan, so he's not crossing rivalry lines here.

Monday, August 2, 2021

2021 MLB Draft Review: New York Yankees

Full list of draftees

The Yankees have recently shifted their drafting philosophy from toolsy athletes to players with strong work ethics and high baseball IQ's, and judging by the success of guys like Anthony Volpe, Ken Waldichuk, and Josh Smith (traded to the Rangers at the deadline), among others, it seems to be working. The Bombers continued that philosophy in 2021, and they're hoping to get another strong draft class out of it that outperforms expectations. They only made one big over slot signing in third rounder Brock Selvidge, instead spreading slight under slots (for the most part) to their other day one and two picks. Still, they came away with a strong class and I think I'm most interested in first rounder Trey Sweeney as my favorite pick, especially considering they got him below slot.
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1-20: SS Trey Sweeney, Eastern Illinois. My rank: #16.
Trey Sweeney was a late riser in 2021, just mashing his way into the first round against a weaker schedule. He ranked back to back with #5 overall pick Colton Cowser in my rankings, because honestly I saw a lot of similarities in their games and you could make a very strong argument that Sweeney is actually the better player. He burst onto the scene this year with a ridiculous .382/.522/.712 slash line, 14 home runs, and an exceptional 24/46 strikeout to walk ratio over 48 games against a weaker schedule in a hitter-friendly conference, but those numbers are not a mirage. Sweeney picked up two hits against the man drafted immediately behind him, Cubs first rounder Jordan Wicks, and finished that series against a strong Kansas State pitching staff 5-13 with a home run and just one strikeout. The Louisville native simply shows exceptional plate discipline everywhere he goes, to the point where the Yankees are comfortable that it will translate to the much better pitching he'll face in pro ball. There's above average raw power in there as well, as he's posted high exit velocities on his plethora of line drives and home runs this year. It's a bit of a loud setup with some bat waggle, a big leg kick, and a slight hitch in his left handed swing, but still he struck out in just 10.6% of his plate appearances this year and swing and miss should not be an issue. Opinions are split on his defense, with proponents seeing his strong arm and just enough glove to stick at shortstop and detractors seeing a lack of speed better fit for third base. Given the presence of Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza in this system, plus the fact that the Yankees are rumored to be interested in a long term deal for Corey Seager or Trevor Story this offseason, might push him to third anyways. Regardless, I really like the upside here and Sweeney has a chance to produce 20+ home runs annually with high on-base percentages in New York. He signed for $3 million (about $240,000 below slot) and has homered and walked once each in four plate appearances in the FCL.

2-55: RHP Brendan Beck, Stanford. #91.
Brendan Beck was another late riser this spring, and honestly I wish I pushed him up my board a little further before the draft came around. The younger brother of Giants prospect Tristan Beck, Brendan was eligible last year but was thought of more as a sixth to tenth round arm and went unselected in the shortened draft, then raised his stock this spring with a 3.15 ERA and a 143/26 strikeout to walk ratio over 108.2 innings. Perhaps his signature moment came in Stanford's super regional opener on June 11th, when the temperature hit 106 degrees in Lubbock (something the Bay Area kids are likely not used to at all) and he decided to choose the black jerseys because "it was going to be Texas Tech's funeral." Indeed it was, as Beck struck out thirteen Red Raiders and the Cardinal won the game 15-3. I really respect that move not only because it sounds badass, but because it speaks to a deeper level of competitiveness. It is not easy for anybody to travel out to the West Texas flatlands, which are about as different from Palo Alto as it can possibly get, then play the #8 national seed on their home turf in sweltering heat. Rather than try to make the best of it by wearing white, which would have been a perfectly respectable choice, I love that he leaned into the challenge and basically said "screw it, let's go to war and just wear black." Anyways, onto Beck's stuff, which ticked up late in the season. The southern California native now sits in the low 90's with his fastball and has been touching 95-96, adding an above average curveball and a distinct, average slider. The changeup is currently his fourth pitch, but with his aptitude for pitching, he should be able to deploy it as a solid option in the big leagues. Beck goes right after hitters and pounds the strike zone, showing above average command and pitch execution that makes everything play up. The 6'2" righty has also proven extremely durable, throwing nearly 300 innings in his Stanford career (with a 3.11 ERA no less) and getting better and better throughout. While there's likely not a #1 or #2 ceiling here, he strikes me as a high probability big leaguer who will almost certainly earn MLB innings in some capacity, something that is hard to say for most players picked outside the top fifty picks. The ceiling is that of a #3 or #4 starter, and I think he'll move quickly once turned loose in the minors (though that could come relatively slowly as he shouldered a heavy load in Palo Alto this year). He signed for $1.05 million, which was about $260,000 below slot value, despite being set to turn 23 after the season.

3-92: LHP Brock Selvidge, Hamilton HS [AZ]. My rank: #156.
This was the big over slot pick, so while Trey Sweeney had the biggest bonus in the first round, there will be a lot of pressure to get this one right. Brock Selvidge was one of the best arms in the West over the summer last year, showing a projectable frame and the potential for two plus pitches, but he struggled in the spring and tumbled down draft boards. He was likely bound for LSU until an exceptional showing at the MLB Draft Combine in June reversed his fortunes, and the Yankees gave him as much money as he might have expected had the draft been before that rough spring. Selvidge is a 6'3" lefty with plenty of projection in his athletic frame, and his fastball touches 95-96 with high spin rates when he's at his best. There's a slider that was above average last summer, fringy this spring, and back to above average at the combine, and additional refinement with pro coaching could make it a plus pitch. He throws a curveball and a changeup at times, with the changeup flashing average and the curve looking like a distant fourth pitch. His delivery has gone through many iterations; last summer, it looked like he was jerking his way through it at times even when his stuff was at its best, leading to fringy command. This spring, he was throwing with more effort overall, pushing his command down another half grade. Then at the combine, he showed a smoother delivery than even last summer, and he filled up the strike zone consistently. The Yankees will have their work cut out for them to bring the best version of Brock Selvidge, but they've had a lot of success developing prospects lately so they're pretty confident in their ability to do so. The Phoenix-area native signed away from that LSU commitment for $1.5 million, which was $862,400 above slot value.

4-122: 2B Cooper Bowman, Louisville. My rank: #234.
This is another safe-bet money saver. Cooper Bowman began his career at Iowa Western JC, one of the top JUCO's in the region, before transferring over to Louisville this year. While many Cardinals had down seasons, Bowman was one of their steadier players, slashing .293/.387/.455 with eight home runs, twenty stolen bases, and a 32/23 strikeout to walk ratio over 48 games. The Rapid City native is looking to become what I believe would be the only active major leaguer from South Dakota (Sean Doolittle was born in Rapid City as well but grew up in New Jersey), and he should be able to move towards that relatively quickly. He shows strong plate discipline and held a strong 14.3% strikeout rate against a tough schedule this year, with moderate gap power that will keep pitchers honest in pro ball. He's a plus runner that can make things happen on the bases, and his potential to produce relatively high on-base percentages should enable him to make the most of that speed. Bowman doesn't quite have the arm for shortstop but should be a solid second baseman, and overall it's a utility infielder outlook. He signed for $353,000, which was $116,000 below slot value, then got off to a hot start in the FCL with four hits (including a home run) in eight at bats.

5-153: 1B Tyler Hardman, Oklahoma. Unranked.
In the fifth round, the Yankees picked up arguably the best hitter in the Big 12 this year. After never hitting more than six home runs or batting above .306 in any of his previous three seasons at Oklahoma, Tyler Hardman busted out for a .397/.481/.661 slash line, twelve home runs, and a 59/34 strikeout to walk ratio over 55 games. The southern California native, who actually grew up in the same hometown (Corona) as second rounder Brendan Beck, shows big raw power from the right side that he gets to consistently in games, and in 2021 he also showed the ability to handle advanced Big 12 pitching consistently. It's a patient approach for the 6'3" slugger that leads to a slightly elevated strikeout rate (22.5% this year), but he draws his walks (13%), and he fits right in with the right handed power bats Yankees fans have come to know for better or for worse. Hardman is limited to first base defensively even as his defense has gotten better there, so all of his value will be tied to his bat. He's a bit older given that he turned 22 in January, but he has enough thump in his bat to potentially profile as a regular at first base or if not, a strong platoon option. Hardman signed for $200,000, which was $146,800 below slot value, and has two doubles in five at bats so far in the FCL.

6-183: RHP Richard Fitts, Auburn. My rank: #139.
Richard Fitts has been perhaps one of the most difficult players in this draft cycle to get a read on. A day two prospect coming into his junior season, he was electric in fall practice and showed three above average or better pitches while pounding the strike zone with all of them. Had the draft been over the winter, he may not have even been available when the Yankees picked in the first round. It turned out to be a nightmare spring, however, and he finished with a 5.88 ERA and a 41/15 strikeout to walk ratio over 41.1 innings, even losing his rotation spot some weeks as he battled a foot injury. He did seem to find his groove a bit in May, where he went six and eight innings while allowing just one hit apiece against LSU and Missouri in two of his final three starts, though that was sandwiched around a rough start against Texas A&M. When the Birmingham-area native is at his best, he attacks hitters with a low to mid 90's fastball, an above average downer slider, and an above average splitter, all while pounding the strike zone and controlling at bats. This spring, though, both of his offspeed pitches lost their bite, and hitters could sit on his fastball and crush it when he left them over the plate. The 6'3" righty has a durable frame and is relatively new to starting, so the Yankees likely think this was more of a hiccup than anything else and would love to get him into their development system. There's huge upside to be had here if things do work out, but you're also looking at a 21 and a half year old who really only has a few good starts on his resume spread out between fall practice and the end of his spring season. Fitts signed for $346,800 ($80,800 above slot value), marking the Yankees only other above slot pick on day two besides Brock Selvidge.

10-303: SS Benjamin Cowles, Maryland. Unranked.
I like to highlight hometown picks in these reviews, and tenth rounder Benjamin Cowles somewhat gives me a chance to do that. Cowles grew up in Newark, but not the one across the Hudson – he's an upstater from Newark, New York, which is a small town between Syracuse and Rochester. Cowles headed south to Maryland for school, where he's gotten better and better every year. After slashing .200/.317/.314 as a freshman, he improved to .241/.364/.463 as a sophomore then broke out in 2021, slashing .287/.409/.632 with 18 home runs and a 57/20 strikeout to walk ratio over 48 games. He draws his power from a quick, clean uppercut from the right side, using his 6'1" frame to put great loft on the ball and tap his average raw power very consistently in games. There's a bit of bat wrap and uppercuts often lead to some swing and miss, and he did strike out in 26% of his plate appearances this year. You're usually projecting infielders as utility guys at this point in the draft, but Cowles' ability to tap his power gives him the ceiling of an everyday guy. He signed for $140,000, which was $4,100 below slot value, and has singled, tripled, and walked in seven trips to the plate in the FCL.

11-333: RHP Jack Neely, Ohio State. Unranked.
With their first pick on day three, the Yankees took a flier on Jack Neely, a flame throwing right hander who has bounced around quite a bit. He began his career at Texas, but walked 14 batters in 9.2 innings and allowed eighteen runs. Transferring to Iowa Western JC (where he played with fourth rounder Cooper Bowman), he was dominant in a small sample, then held his own in a larger sample at Ohio State this year with a 6.10 ERA and a 62/24 strikeout to walk ratio over 41.1 innings. The massive 6'8" righty saw a velocity bump this spring and now sits comfortably in the mid 90's and even hit triple digits with his fastball. His offspeed stuff is fringy but the slider took a step forward this year, looking like at least an average pitch, while his curveball and changeup remain below average. His command has improved from non-playable to simply below average, which given his velocity and the step forward with his slider, you'll take. There is still a lot of work to be done and the San Antonio native still probably projects as a reliever, but the Yankees are buying the size and arm strength hoping for something more. Neely signed for $150,000, of which $25,000 counts against the bonus pool.

13-393: RHP Zach Messinger, Virginia. Unranked.
The Yankees biggest bonus of day three went to Virginia righty Zach Messinger, who couldn't quite crack the Cavalier rotation on a regular basis but showed well when he was on. He finished the season with a 4.89 ERA and a 64/21 strikeout to walk ratio over 57 innings, including a ten strikeout relief performance against VCU on April 20th. The 6'6" righty has plenty of arm strength and can get into the mid 90's in relief, adding an above average slider as well as a fringier curve and changeup, not unlike Jack Neely. He shows close to average command and if he can refine either the curve or changeup a little bit more, he does have the build and delivery to start. The Yankees have been very good about finding diamonds in the rough lately and Messinger seems like he could be one. The Evansville, Indiana-area native signed for $225,000, of which $100,000 counts against the bonus pool.

15-453: RHP Danny Watson, Virginia Commonwealth. Unranked.
I want to get another semi-hometown pick in. Danny Watson may be at VCU, but he grew up in the upstate town of Nassau, New York (not to be confused with Nassau County) and attended Columbia High School across the river from Albany. This year in Richmond, he posted a 4.06 ERA and a 55/21 strikeout to walk ratio over 44.1 innings out of a swingman role. He brings a really unique look to hitters as a massive 6'7" righty with a very low three quarters, nearly sidearm slot. That creates an extremely tough look on his fastball, which has ticked up into the mid 90's in relief, and his slider looks like a weapon in pro ball as well. He hasn't always been consistent though and his fringe-average command will likely keep him in the bullpen going forward, but if developed right, he could be a late inning weapon. Mason McRae, who in my opinion is one of the best evaluators out there and got plenty of looks at him attending VCU, does have a stern warning not to develop him as a sinkerballer, which he believes would be "catastrophic." Watson signed for $125,000.

17-513: OF Grant Richardson, Indiana. Unranked.
Grant Richardson hit a respectable .264/.335/.491 as a freshman in 2019, then got off to a scorching start with a .424/.453/.797 line in a brief 14 game stint in 2020. He earned looks at the back of the shortened draft, but returned to Indiana and hit .320/.397/.517 with seven home runs and a 35/17 strikeout to walk ratio over 44 games this year. Richardson may remind some of a left handed Matt Gorski, who was a second round pick of the Pirates in 2019 out of Indiana, standing out for his athleticism in addition to his performance. The Indianapolis-area native is a plus runner who can impact games on both sides of the ball, and he has a knack for finding the barrel that has held up over longer stints in Big Ten play. With a chance for average power and contact to go along with that plus run tool, I'm a bit surprised he lasted this long, though he is somewhat raw for a player who turned 22 on day three of the draft. Richardson does have to refine his plate discipline a little, as he's very aggressive and has a tendency to chase, though that aggressiveness did not hurt his production in college ball at all. It's a similar story in the outfield, where he has the wheels and arm to stick in center, but he needs to refine his reads and routes. This is a fourth outfielder profile on the surface but I think he has what it takes to play full time one day. He signed for $125,000 and has singled and walked in six trips to the plate in the FCL.