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With their 10th round pick of the 2017 MLB Draft, the Yankees—get this—selected right-handed pitcher Chad Whitmer from Southern Illinois. As a college senior pick, Whitmer fits right in with the rest of New York’s draft haul.
The six-foot-three, 190-pound senior proved to be his team’s no. 1 starter all season long. He was a second-team All-MVC and a two-time MVC Pitcher of the Week in 2017, where he struck out a grand total of 95 batters. Overall, he had a 3.46 ERA with an 8.2 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9 over 104 innings, profiling him as a control pitcher.
The South Bend, Indiana native has shown to be capable of starting in college, however, he is likely to be a reliever at the minor league level. The excellent control he has exhibited over the last two years should help him success in pro ball.
As a senior, Whitmer will save the team some money, since he doesn’t have much negotiating power. The Yankees have gone this route several times already today, so one more time won’t hurt much. At the end of the second day of the MLB Draft, the Yankees have gone with nine pitchers, eight of which have been right-handers. Clearly they are looking for something very specific this year.