MLB Draft 2018: Grading the Yankees’ day two picks

The 2018 MLB Draft kicked off last night, and the Yankees made the somewhat surprising decision to select not one, but two catchers. Rounds three through ten took place today, so here’s a recap of the Yankees’ selections.

With their first pick of the day, the Yankees selected Ryder Green 97th overall. The six-foot-two outfielder out of Karns High School is known for his raw power, physical strength, and average (possibly solid-average) speed. The Vanderbilt commit is expected to move from center field to right field at the next level. Interestingly, they picked up another outfielder—Brandon Lockridge—in round five. Known for his speed and athleticism, scouts expect the former infielder’s raw power to lead to more home runs down the line.

They waited until the fourth round to select their first pitcher, Frank German out of the University of North Florida. The right-hander posted a 1.58 ERA over 91.1 innings this season. He mixes three pitches, including a fastball that can touch 96, slurvy curveball, and a mid-80s circle change. In the sixth round, the Yankees grabbed another pitcher, Rodney Hutchison. The huge right-hander is listed at 6-foot-6 and weighs in at 239 pounds. His numbers haven’t been particularly impressive this season, but his fastball sits mid-90s, and the Yankees love a tall, hard-throwing pitcher.

The Yankees followed that pick up by selecting Daniel Bies 217th overall. Somehow even larger than Hutchison, the fellow right-handed pitcher is six-foot-eight and 245 pounds. Scouts like his mid-90s fastball and above-average breaking ball, but he may end up sticking as a reliever instead of a starter. In the eighth round, the Yankees took yet another right-handed pitcher, Connor Van Hoose. He didn’t crack Baseball America’s Top 500 list, but he finished his Bucknell career with a 2.55 ERA and 11.04 K/9.

They veered slightly off of their right-handed starting pitcher plan in the ninth round by selecting Mick Vorhof, a right-handed reliever. He posted a 2.35 ERA with seven saves over 38.1 innings of work during his final year at Grand Canyon University. Vorhof found success as the team’s closer thanks to his fastball command and development of a curveball.

With the final pick of the day, the Yankees took Josh Maciejewski out of UNC Charlotte. He represents the only left-handed pitcher that they have selected so far. He throws a low-90s fastball, average changeup, and a curveball. Another pitcher who picked the right time to peak, he finished up his college career with a 2.25 ERA over 104 innings.

Now it is your turn to grade the Yankees on their day two selections. What do you think of all the right-handed pitchers? Vote in the poll below and let us know in the comments. Don’t forget to weigh in on the Yankees’ decision to draft Anthony Seigler and Josh Breaux too!