With the MLB Draft taking place next week, there is a lot of uncertainty going into this years draft when it comes to the Yankees, and this is because their first round pick got pushed back 10 spots, due to them being over the Competitive Balance Tax in 2024, so the Yankees will pick at 39th overall. Here are 5 players I could see the Yankees selecting at #39, as well as a current prospect and MLB player I would compare them to.
OF Slater de Brun
The first target, the one probably with the lowest chance of being available is Slater de Brun, a left-handed hitting outfielder who plays his high school ball in Oregon. de Brun has great bat to ball skills and projects to be an above average bat. de Brun also has plus range in the outfield, and his amazing speed makes him almost a shoe-in to stick in center field. He is committed to Vanderbilt, which could make signability an issue for some teams.
Shades of: Corbin Carroll (ARI), Slade Caldwell (ARI)
RHP Riley Quick
Quick just has the type of profile that screams the Yankees. The Crimson Tide product was a teammate of Yankees 2024 first rounder Ben Hess, and Quick shares a somewhat similar pitch profile. Quick missed most of 2024 with Tommy John and returned ahead of schedule. Quick has very good stuff, but seemingly underperformed this season. His 96-99 MPH sinker pairing with a mid 80s slider that can generate whiffs, as well as a low 90s cutter. What makes his repertoire even more exciting is that his changeup looks to be a solid offering, sitting in the mid 80s with good sink, if the pitchability is improved, he has the makings of a frontline starter.
Shades Of: Tristan McKenzie (CLE), Chase Petty (CIN)
SS Coy James
James is a solid all around prospect, with above average tools across the board, but has a lot of room to improve in his offensive profile. There is some solid raw power potential, but James makes contact very inconsistently, leading to a lot of swing-and-miss in his profile. If he can make the swing adjustments to fix the whiffs, he could project to be an average to above average hitter. Defensively he’s solid at shortstop, but the long term fit for James could end up being at second base.
Shades of: Ezequiel Tovar (COL), Brice Matthews (HOU)
C/OF Taitn Gray
Tatin Gray may be my favorite option for the Yankees at 39th overall. Though he would likely be considered a reach, he’s a player that the Yankees should take a swing on if they are selecting a high school bat. Gray is one of the younger players in the class, as he doesn’t turn 18 until August, and his profile is very impressive. Generating exit velocities as high as 114 MPH and bat speeds as high as 87 MPH. His raw power is impressive, his future position is likely in flux. Gray has played catcher, but his average to below average defense suggests he could move to the outfield, but it is likely that he will be put in the outfield to start his pro career, likely in an effort for his bat to progress quickly.
Shades of: Seiya Suzuki (CHC), Eduardo Tait (PHI)
OF Alec Blair
Blair is a plus-plus athlete, a two-sport athlete in high school has decided to pursue baseball, being committed to Oklahoma. The 6’6 outfielder has plus raw power, and his size and athleticism could make him very projectable to some scouts. The power is the main tool here, he could develop into a 30+ home run hitter at the major league level, but there is concern about the level of swing-and-miss in his profile. Though defensively he is still solid, with good range and a good arm in center field, but could be more suited for a corner spot in the long term.
Shades of: Nolan Jones (CLE), Spencer Jones (NYY)
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