Around the Empire: Yankees news - 6/12/20

New York Post | Mollie Walker: For the second time in six months, the Yankees landed a player they previously drafted. Gerrit Cole went to UCLA rather than sign with the Yankees out of high school, and Austin Wells did the same with Arizona. The team’s first-round pick calls going to college the best decision he ever made, crediting Pac-12 baseball with developing his power and discipline, and as an outlet for healing following an injury in his senior year of high school.

WFAN | Lou DiPietro: Even though none of the players drafted this week may get much of any pro ball in before 2021, some have already made an impact on org rankings. Wells and Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Mets, to name just two, are expected to find themselves on their clubs’ respective top 10 prospect lists already.

NJ.com | Mike Rosenstein: We’re not covering the Yankees’ second round pick because the Yankees didn’t have a second round pick, that being the draft slot lost after signing Gerrit Cole over the winter. Cole, for what it’s worth, was ranked the second best pitcher in all of baseball by The Athletic recently, which certainly exceeds nearly all projections for a randomly selected second round pick.

The State Press | Alex Coil: It’s been a big 48 hours for Arizona State University, having a number of players picked in the first three rounds of the MLB Draft. Spencer Torkelson was taken first overall by the Tigers, and now outfielder Trevor Hauever is the Yankees’ third-round pick. Hauever is an outfielder by trade, but was announced as a second baseman, perhaps foreshadowing a role as a multi-positional talent within the org.