MLB Draft 2019: Yankees’ picks rounds 11-20

Welcome to the finale of the 2019 MLB Draft! At this point the selections come in a rapid-fire format. Before the end of the day, the Yankees will have made 30 additional picks. Instead of writing up individual stories for each player, we’re going to break them up into three groups of 10 and run a live blog. This post will get updated with information on selections from rounds 11-20. Be sure to check back frequently for updates.

Round 11, Pick 345: 2B Oliver Dunn
University of Utah, 5’10”, 185 lbs

Dunn hit .362/.449/.559 with three home runs across 188 at-bats in 2019. A career .310/.404/.435 hitter with Utes, Dunn doesn’t offer a ton of home-run power, but proved a doubles machine. Baseball America ranked him number 291 on their top 500 list. They question his ability to stay in the infield, but his speed could make him an intriguing option in center.

Round 12, Pick 375: LHP Ryan Anderson
University of Nevada, 6’6”, 205 lbs

A big left-handed pitcher, Anderson fits right in with the Yankees. The left-hander logged 70.2 innings in 2019, all as a starter. He pitched to a 4.84 ERA with a 1.32 WHIP. Anderson ins’t exactly a flamethrower, however, as reports indicate he can “run it [fastball] up to 90 miles per hour”.

Round 13, Pick 405: RHP Nelson Alvarez
University of South Florida, 6’4”, 220 lbs

Alvarez pitched exclusively as a reliever in 2019. He appeared in 23 games and notched eight saves over 35 innings. The right-hander pitched to 4.08 ERA with a 1.27 WHIP over that span. Baseball America considered him the number 59 top eligible draft prospect out of Florida.

Round 14, Pick 435: RHP Kevin Milam
St. Mary’s College, 6’0, 200 lbs

Milam split his time between playing the infield and pitching for St. Mary’s. The Yankees, however, drafted him as a pitcher. The right-hander tossed 50 innings worth of 5.94 ERA ball in 2019. He had far more success on the mound, however, from 2017-2018. Baseball America ranked him number 389 on their top 500, and noted Milam “...can run his fastball up into the 94-95 mph range, and also throws a low-80s cutter and a slider with more depth in the same velocity range.”

Round 15, Pick 465: Edgar Barclay
CSU Bakersfield, 5’10”, 200 lbs

The Yankees went with another left-hander for their 15th round selection. Barclay pitched to a 3.27 ERA over 85 innings (13 starts) in 2019. Baseball America considered him the number 89 draft-eligible prospect out of South California. The BA team notes his fastball hovers around 89-93 mph and a curveball represents his secondary offering.

Round 16, Pick 495: RHP Shaine McNeely
Hope International University, 6’4”, 210 lbs

Surprise, surprise, the Yankees chose another college pitcher. McNeely ranked number 455 on Baseball America’s top 500. They have his fastball at 91-93 mph with a slider as his secondary pitch. “He is capable of closing or pitching in long relief,” they explain, so consider him a reliever.

Round 17, Pick 525: OF Pat DeMarco
Vanderbilt University, 5’9”, 192 lbs

DeMarco hit .287/.360/.490 with four home runs for the Commodores in 2019. Baseball America projects him as an above-average defender in either of the corner outfield spots. The Yankees must like DeMarco, as they previously drafted him in the 24th round back in 2017.

Round 18, Pick 555: RHP Evan Voliva
East Carolina University, 5’10”, 205 lbs

A relief pitcher for East Carolina, Voliva pitched to a 3.13 ERA over 31.2 innings. He notched four saves and had 1.07 WHIP. Voliva was a teammate of Yankees’ fourth-round pick Jake Agnos.

Round 19, Pick 585: 3B Chad Bell
University of Louisiana Monroe, 6’3”, 210 lbs

Bell hit .332/.411/.668 with 18 home runs for the Warhawks in 2019. “His power to the backside of the field is probably the best I’ve ever coached,” ULM coach Michael Federico told the Monroe News Star. A left-handed bat with big power will always entice the Yankees, especially one whose walk rate has gone up proportionally to declining strikeout numbers.

Round 20, Pick 615: RHP Jack Leiter
Delbarton School (Morristown, NJ), 6’1”, 195 lbs

There you have it. The Yankees nominally drafted Leiter, one of the top prep arms in the draft. A Vanderbilt commit, Leiter made it clear he would attend college and not sign with a team out of the draft. He has potential to go in the top five when he re-enters the draft.