MLB Draft 2021: Grading the Yankees’ day-three picks

The final day of the 2021 MLB Draft is officially complete. It was a flurry of activity, with teams making their selections in rounds 11 through 20 in just a few hours. Although much less glamorous than the action from days one and two, day three is just as important. The bulk of an organization’s farm system gets filled from these selection, so every pick counts.

For their first pick of the day, the Yankees took six-foot-eight Jack Neely out of Ohio State in the 11th round. The righty is a pitcher who leverages his frame well to generate velocity, but struggled with walks and home runs. They then selected Dartmouth catcher Ben Rice, MVP of the 2020 Futures League. At No. 13, they took six-foot-six reliever Zach Messinger, whose performance for Virginia in the ACC Tournament hinted potential as a future starter.

New York drafted their first high schooler of the day next — six-foot pitcher Sean Hermann out of Durant HS in Florida — likely influenced by the six mph he has added on the heater since 2018. They wrapped up their first five picks of the day with VCU junior Danny Watson, a six-foot-seven pitcher with a low three-quarters arm slot.

To kick off their final five selections, the Yankees took Cole Ayers out of the State College of Florida Manatee - Sarasota, a pitcher with a wicked curve who boosted his stock by converting to a starter at the JUCO level. Next, they selected lefty Indiana outfielder Grant Richardson, who led the Big Ten in home runs in the shortened 2020 season. They went back to the pitching well at 18, taking six-foot-eight Bailey Dees out of Penn State, a starter who struggled with the long ball as a senior.

With the penultimate pick, they went with Vanderbilt catcher Dominic Keegan, who was regarded by some as the most fearsome bat on Vandy’s College World Series runner-up team in 2021. Finally, they wrapped up by taking six-foot-five pitcher Sean Hard out of St. Joseph Regional HS in New Jersey, though he is seen as a strong commit to Boston College and is unlikely to sign this year.

So there you have it folks, the Yankees have chosen their 2021 MLB Draft class. There seemed to be a clear agenda with the selections on this final day, as they targeted big-bodied arms. They spent half their picks on pitchers standing six-foot-five or taller, owing to the belief that larger frames are conducive to generating greater power. Now it’s up to the Yankees developmental staff to help these young men maximize their physical gifts.

Here is a full write-up of picks 11 through 15, while a breakdown of picks 16 through 20 can be found here. Now that the Yankees have completed their business in the Draft, we want to hear from you. How do you feel the Yankees did on day three? What grade would you give their picks today?