Gage Ziehl out of the University of Miami was announced to be the New York Yankees’ fourth-round pick, as the right-hander from New York goes 110th overall. In his most recent season, Ziehl struck out 89 batters across 100 innings, posting a 3.87 ERA and having some solid pitches to go with his excellent results. The right-hander features a fastball that tops out at 95.6 MPH but sits around 93 with good vertical movement and a lower release height. He pairs it with a good slider and he also boasts a changeup and cutter to go with it.
With the Yankees selecting four straight pitchers to open their draft, they are loading up on arms in the farm system especially ones with good heaters.
Gage Ziehl Becomes the Fourth-Straight Pitcher Drafted by the Yankees
He doesn’t have the velocity that some of the other arms they’ve drafted have, but he has some interesting qualities that could make him a strong pitcher at the professional level. His delivery is very over-the-top which explains the riding fastball and sharp slider, and while he didn’t miss a lot of bats in college, the Yankees might be able to unlock some more velocity and better secondaries to pair with what he already has.
The fastball could use some work in terms of better command and consistency, as it’s a pitch with the shape and release points to succeed at picking up some whiffs up in the zone. As for his slider, it’s a buzzsaw pitch that has a 34.6% Whiff Rate and 37.5% Chase Rate, sitting at 85 with over six inches of horizontal sweep. This pitch is electric, and the last step here is polishing his secondaries as his cutter and changeup haven’t been reliable offerings for him up to this point.
With the Yankees selecting their fourth-straight starter, they’re loading up on pitching talent with upside, and it makes sense given their reputation for improving and enhancing young pitchers. They’re betting on guys with good fastballs and upside, and that trend continues here in the 4th Round with Gage Ziehl.