Only Major League Baseball would hold a draft while games are going on. Does anything they do make any sense? They have four days off next week. I don’t need excuses as to why. It makes no sense.
Because of that, I watched none of it as I watched the Yankees win over the Nationals. Easy enough to follow online, but I think it takes away from the event as a whole.
Anyway, let’s take a look at the Yankees’ picks. Note that I don’t consider myself a “Draft Expert”. I watch more college softball than I do baseball, but I do read profiles extensively to form my opinions.
Round 1 – Hunter Dietz, LHP, Arkansas
In what should be seen as a steal, the Yankees selected Arkansas lefty Hunter Dietz, one of the top left-handed pitchers in the draft (he was the third lefty chosen, behind two high schoolers). So, why did they get him at #35? Injuries. In 2024 and 2025, he pitched in only four games (1.2 innings). He started 16 games this season, posting a 3.57 ERA over 85.2 innings with a 131/31 K/BB. Past SEC pitchers the Yankees chose in the first round include Ben Hess (2024, Alabama), Clarke Schmidt (2017, South Carolina), and David Walling (1999, Arkansas). The Yankees have chosen plenty of SEC pitchers beyond the first round.
“So, why a pitcher and not a catcher or a third baseman or blah blah blah”? It’s baseball, not football or basketball. You would love to draft for need, but who knows what you will need by the time they develop? Pick the best player on your board. Dietz slipped down to the Yankees. Jim Callis projected him to go to the Red Sox at #20. Jonathan Mayo had him going 26th to the Braves. Kiley McDaniel (ESPN)? He had him going 15th to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
My grade: A+. The Yankees drafted a pitcher who was projected to go earlier. From a pure talent perspective, he is one of the best pitchers in the draft. That isn’t hyperbole (what is hyperbole is Cole Hamels dropping the Clayton Kershaw name). I know he was comparing their sliders, not their overall profiles. But let’s slow down. I was going to drop the grade to “A,” based on his injury history, but it didn’t impact him in 2026.
Round 2 – Sean Duncan, LHP, British Columbia (HS)
Duncan is a high schooler with a Vanderbilt commit, but it probably won’t be hard to buy him out of that. Why? He needs Tommy John surgery and won’t be making his professional debut until 2028. I read a blurb on one of the sites that the Yankees were considering him at #35 for the cost savings. Perhaps they would have done that if Dietz hadn’t fallen to them. The idea behind that is to sign Duncan for underslot, then throw more money at a later pick in the first ten rounds. That could still happen.
My grade: B-. Duncan was projected to be drafted in the first two rounds, so this is not a reach. If not for the Tommy John surgery, he had first-round talent. I can’t give a better grade to a prospect who isn’t likely to take the hill until 2028, but the Yankees can afford to be patient. Given that he is coming out of high school, he will have plenty of time to develop post-surgery.
Round 3 – Brendan Brock, C/OF, Oklahoma
The versatile Brock was a member of the 2026 College World Series championship squad. That was his only year in Division 1, and he hit well enough (.302/.399/.522 with 13 home runs). He stole 28 bases, a number that will fall if he becomes a full-time catcher.
One of the knocks I see is that he didn’t hit well in conference play. Additionally, he struck out at a 25.5% rate, which can raise some eyebrows. While I am in no mood to calculate the numbers, I do see he was hitting .351 on March 11th, the game before they entered conference play. On May 19th (the final day of conference play), his average was down to .266.
That said, he picked up the pace in the postseason, including a 2-for-3 night in the deciding Game 3 against North Carolina.
My grade: C+. His approach likely needs refining, given that SEC pitching gave him some trouble. Will the Yankees attempt to develop him as a catcher? My guess is yes, though that could strip him of the speed that is a big part of his profile. It’s not often a team has a choice between developing a player as a catcher or a center fielder. A prospect with that kind of athleticism falling to the third round is a likely indicator that organizations aren’t in love with the bat.
Round 4 – Paul Contreras, OF, Cal State Fullerton
Contrares was a Big West standout in 2026, hitting .346/.441/.633 with 14 home runs. That was a massive improvement over his 2025 campaign, when he hit .259/.342/.469 with six home runs.
He was one of four Big West players with an OPS over 1.000, and his 14 home runs ranked him 5th. For those who care about such a thing, he also walked (33) more than he struck out (31).
While I cannot find a position breakdown in 2026, he played only right field in 2025. Before playing for Cal State Fullerton, however, he played some center field.
My grade: B-. I like this pick, especially if he can handle center field. The power potential is there, so it comes down to refining the rest of his offensive game.
Overall Day 1 Grade: A
If you read my reports, I don’t sugarcoat the Yankees’ shortcomings. This “A” isn’t out of hope. It’s because the Yankees didn’t try to be cute with the 35th pick. A major talent fell into their lap, and they jumped on it. The other three picks? I don’t know – I read the profiles, and pick out what I like and don’t like. I don’t think there is anything wrong with picking a high school kid who needs elbow surgery, because it doesn’t hurt his ETA too much. The third and fourth picks were used on an athletic catcher/outfielder and a power bat. Some may see those picks as safe and boring, but sometimes that is the correct approach.