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Wow, what a night that was. I wrote just yesterday that many industry sources believed the Yankees were zeroing in on a college bat or prep right-handed pitcher, and of course they surprised us all.
Instead, they selected Blake Rutherford at 18th overall, outfielder from Canoga Park, California. Rutherford is a top five-type talent, easily one of the best prep bats in the class, and he slipped largely because of signability concerns and a pinch of prospect fatigue. For once, the Yankees catch a huge break on draft day. In terms of perceived talent on draft day, this is the best first round position player selection since Derek Jeter. This is partially a testament to how good Rutherford is, but also illustrates how bad first round selections have been in that span. This is a good day for the franchise.
The Yankees also selected second baseman Nick Solak at 62nd overall. Solak is a Louisville product who has decent defensive abilities, a line drive approach, and average to above-average speed. This could just be the Yankees trying to save money for Rutherford, or it could be a desire to get their guy, or a combination of both. It's not a bad second round pick by any stretch.
Now it's time for day two, where we will see rounds three through ten. Coverage begins now (1 PM EST), and you can watch it live on MLB.com or MLB Network. Just like last night, use this as your open thread for all things draft related.