The Yankees have leaned heavily towards the college pitcher route so far in this year’s draft, selecting a college arm with nearly every pick they’ve had so far in the first ten rounds. On top of that, every selection made by the historic franchise was a college selection. 80% of the Yankees picks in the first ten rounds were college pitchers, most likely in an attempt to revamp the farm’s pitching depth after the Juan Soto trade, and before what should be a major trade deadline.
1.26 – Ben Hess RHP – Alabama
The Yankees opened up their 2024 draft with more of a surprising pick than many would’ve expected. Heart’s here may have been set on Mississippi State’s Jurrangelo Cijntje, who went 15th overall to the Mariners long before the Yankees even were on the clock. While many question the pick, Hess is a solid get for the Yankee organization. The 44th ranked draft prospect by MLB Pipeline has a solid four pitch mix with great swing-and-miss stuff. Through 68.1 innings pitched at Alabama this season, Hess recorded a 5.80 ERA, with a K/9 rate of 14.0. Hess struck out 34.75% of his batters, while walking just 11.48% of batters. While the ERA may raise some eyebrows, Hess has great stuff, made for the Yankees system.
2.53 – Bryce Cunningham RHP – Vanderbilt
The 63rd ranked draft prospect by MLB Pipeline was the Yankees second round selection. Cunningham has been improving every single season within collegiate baseball as well as in summer ball in the Cape Cod Baseball League. In 84.2 innings pitched at Vanderbilt this season, Cunningham recorded a 4.36 ERA, with a K/9 rate of 10.2. Cunningham has a fastball that sits in the high-90’s and has improved his control greatly this season. Last summer in Cape Cod, he totaled a 2.38 ERA in five games started. With a strikeout rate of 26.59%, this is another solid pick for the Yankees.
3.89 – Thatcher Hurd RHP – LSU
The trend of SEC arms with swing-and-miss stuff continued for the Yankees into the third round with LSU’s Thatcher Hurd. In 44.0 innings pitched at LSU this season, Hurd recorded a 6.55 ERA. Despite another inflated ERA, Hurd recorded a K/9 rate of 11.5. Scouts rave about Hurd’s athleticism and mechanics, but his 40-graded control is a bit of a question mark. In 18 appearances this season for LSU, only half of those were games started, and his future could very well be in the Yankee bullpen.
4.119 – Gage Ziehl RHP – Miami (FL)
The trend of SEC arms ended in the 4th round, but the college arm trend continued. Ziehl is a great option here in the fourth round. A very consistent starter for the Hurricanes, this is another pitcher with solid mechanics that fits into the system very well. The Yankees are getting a workhorse with their 119th pick. The right hander in 100.0 innings pitched for Miami in 2024, recorded a 3.87 ERA, striking out 89 batters and walking 28. With some development, Ziehl could be a solid back end of the rotation piece for New York.
5.152 – Greysen Carter RHP – Vanderbilt
The second Vanderbilt pitcher taken by the Yankees in this draft, Carter shows great potential at being a shutdown reliever in New York. Carter, ranked MLB Pipeline’s 226th draft prospect possesses a 70 grade fastball that has reached as high as 103 MPH. With a slider, curveball, and changeup, Carter can be an incredible big league reliever if he improves his control. He pitched for a 6.58 ERA in 39.2 innings pitched for Vanderbilt in 2024.
6.181 – Griffin Herring LHP – LSU
In the sixth round, the Yankees added another top of the line college relief arm with LSU’s Griffin Herring. In 50.1 innings pitched, Herring recorded a 1.79 ERA with 12.0 K/9. Herring walked only 6.47% of batters faced, and struck out 33.3% of batters in 2024. With some work on his mechanics, Herring could have a bright future in the New York bullpen.
7.211 – Wyatt Parliament RHP – Virginia Tech
The Carthage, New York native is the Yankees seventh round selection. Parliament fits the trend in this Yankee draft of taking college arms that have great swing-and-miss stuff. Despite his 7.63 ERA in 2024 with the Hokies, Parliament recorded a K/9 rate of 12.2, striking out 31.22% of his batters faced.
8.241 – Tyler Wilson OF – Grand Canyon
It took the Yankees until the eighth round in this draft to stray away from the college pitcher route. The Taiwanese outfielder had a great year in 58 games played for Grand Canyon, hitting for a .378 batting average, and recording a 1.132 OPS. Wilson hit 17 home runs, and walked only ten less times than he struck out.
9.271 – Tanner Bauman LHP – Auburn
Bauman would be the final pitcher selected by the Yankees in days one and two of the draft. In 41.1 innings pitched at Auburn this season, Bauman recorded a 4.57 ERA with a K/9 rate of 10.2. The left hander like the rest of the arms taken previous to him has great strikeout stuff, and with improved control can have a solid future in the bullpen.
10.301 – Joe Delossantos OF – William & Mary
Delossantos was the final selection of day two of the draft and is a very solid bat to get at the 301st pick. The Queens native hit .330 in 57 games with William & Mary this season with an OPS of 1.014. Delossantos hit 14 home runs while stealing 17 bases, making him a potential 20/20 guy if he was to reach the big league level.
It’ll be interesting to see if the Yankees stay on the route of college pitching for the final day of the draft, or if they diversify their picks more in the last ten rounds.
Cover photo: Alabama Athletics