The New York Yankees on Wednesday selected Austin Wells, a catcher out of Arizona. The Yankees went after him in the draft three years ago when he was at Las Vegas High School. Wells chose college instead and enrolled at the University of Arizona, where he has honed his skills and has proven to be a powerful left-hand hitter. This could be a huge win for the Yankees because if he doesn’t work out as a catcher, he also has played in the outfield and at first base.
In their second pick, the New York Yankees picked up another left-hand bat to add to their farm system, Trevor Hauver. Although not the power hitter as Austin Wells is, he is a solid bat. While scouts list him as an outfielder, the Yankees drafted him as a second baseman. While playing the outfield, he could add some much-needed back up at 2nd and 3rd base. The Yankee farm system is not overloaded in infield players.
The New York Yankees used their third and final pick on Beck Way, a 20-year-old right-handed pitcher from Northwest Florida as their fourth-round selection. Way was classified by Baseball America as the top junior college prospect in the class, having had an outstanding performance in the Cape Cod League last summer. He struck out 18 batters in 13.2 innings. The 6-foot-4 Way is a three-pitch pitcher featuring a solid fastball with mid-to-low 90s velocity, to go along with a solid changeup and a slider. He may be familiar with Wednesday’s pick Austin Wells as they both played in the Cape Cod League together.
With the draft completed on Thursday, the New York Yankees have to wait 48 hours before they can pick up any of the many undrafted free agents available. Below are a few that might be a fit for the Yankees, that they might want to consider.
- Chase Antle is from Bowling Green State University. The dominant right-hand pitcher was a closer for the college team. Antle during his short season never allowed a runner past first base. Picked up the save with a scoreless ninth inning in the 3-1 win over Maryland. He is a three-pitch pitcher whose fastball can reach 99mph.
- Tomas Farr out of the University of South Carolina spent part of this shortened season with the Gamecocks after transferring in from Junior College. His first experience at the Division I level showed that he has the ability needed to excel, posting a 1.72 ERA in 15.1 innings. He can touch 97 mph with his fastball.
- Andrew Abbott was ranked as the 132nd best draft prospect by Baseball America heading into this draft after spending the last few years pitching for the University of Virginia. The 6-foot southpaw has struck out 13.7 batters per nine innings over his college career while working mostly in relief. The Yankees may look at Abbott as they have had an interest in him before. They drafted him 2017 but he opted for college instead.
- Max Troiani put himself on the map with a strong performance in the Cape Cod League. He hit .345/.427/.359 with a wood bat, and against a higher level of competition than he’s accustomed to facing. Troiani’s best attribute is his speed (for his career he’s 35 for 39 in steals).
- Brannon Jordan hails from the same college as Jordan Montgomery, University of South Carolina. He has a strong season with the Gamecocks’ rotation. In 21 innings this spring, he struck out 32 batters with a 1.71 ERA. Jordan has a four-pitch mix and is known for pounding the strike zone.
- Kyle Emshoff was one of the top statistical performers in the country during the abbreviated season, hitting .417/.527/.800 with seven homers in 17 games. The catching prospect in the short-season made the college-wide top 10 in WAR.
- Jamal O’Guinn hales from Aaron Boone’s alma mater the University of Southern California. O’Guinn could shore up the Yankees’ weakest position in the minors, third base. The 6-foot 4-inch third baseman has an impressive .420 career OBP in college and possesses above-average raw power.
If the New York Yankees pick up and sign any of these undrafted free agents they will get a bargain this year. They can only sign them for a maximum of $20k. The Yankees will be allowed to sign as many of the free agents as they wish to fill our their minor league system starting today.