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Rejoice, Yankee fans, and particularly prospect watchers. The MLB Draft is upon us once again, and many new young faces will join the Yankees organization, hopefully including the next generation of Baby Bombers.
Not only will those drafted by the Yankees join one of baseball’s most storied franchises, they’ll also join one of the most successful farm systems in the sport. Gone are the days when the Yankees were known more for their extravagant spending at the major leagues than their player development in the minors. The emergence of homegrown stars like Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, and Luis Severino has shown that the Yankees can identify and develop talent with the best in the game.
As such, it is certainly exciting to ponder how the Yankees are going to approach the draft. Admittedly, it’s not like the Yankees have been blessed with particularly high picks, as they have the 30th and 38th overall picks. However, time and time again, the Yankees have shown a knack for finding diamonds in the rough in the high minors, with Luke Voit and Gio Urshela being the two most latest and prominent examples. Who’s to say the Yankees can’t do the same with younger players, and make the most of their unassuming draft position?
The hardcore prospect aficionados among you may already have scoured through your high school/NCAA databases to predict who the Yankees will choose. For the uninitiated, a demographic in which I myself am included, here are some useful resources to read up on before the draft.
The 2019 Draft BOARD, FanGraphs.com
MLB Pipeline’s 2019 Top 100 Draft prospects
In addition, PSA has been ramping up its draft coverage leading up to D-Day, with posts ranging from possible first and second round picks to the recent history of the 30th and 38th overall picks in the draft, and even more. If you’re interested, you can find the entirety of our draft coverage here. So, which players would you have the Yankees select in the draft?
For what it’s worth, industry consensus is that this year’s draft class is rich in position player talent but light on arms. Accordingly, mock drafts have the Yankees choosing a hitter with their first pick of the draft, with names like University of Missouri outfielder Kameron Misner and high school third baseman Tyler Callihan being floated around. Do you concur, or do you think the Yankees would be better served by looking at pitchers? Let’s hear your arguments in the comments below.
Alternatively, do you have any low-profile names in mind? Are you a prospect lover who has a good read on the Yankees’ strategy? Perhaps you’re a parent or relative of a high school/collegiate player who has played against a prospective draftee. Better yet, maybe you’re a parent or a relative of a prospective draftee yourself! Or maybe you’re like me, just a Yankee fan looking to partake in the excitement of the hours leading up to draft day. Whoever you are, you’re more than welcome to join in the comment section. Here’s hoping this will be a draft day to remember.