Written by Greg Fertel
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23 May 2008
As usual, given the Yankees' significant financial resources and no glaring organizational needs, they will be in position to take the best player available (according to their draft board) with their first round pick. Who that player will be is almost impossible to predict, since it is so dependent on the actions of the players, their agents, and other teams. On my list, I am going to mention players that would be available at #28 because that is where their talent level would slot them, as well as talented guys who have a chance to fall to the Yankees due to extenuating circumstances. This list is in no particular order, but here goes nothing. Just FYI, I am generally in favor of taking high-ceiling high school players if no top college talent falls, and I don't mind the Yankees taking on the extra risk if it gives them the chance to find a potential star. I'm using the BA top 100
list to find guys that they project to be available around the time the Yankees pick. My thoughts, if you can call them that, after the jump.
With a weak college outfield class, and no impact middle infielders or catchers likely available to the Yankees, if the Yankees do take a college bat, it will likely be a corner infielder, a position of depth in this draft.
Ike Davis is an impressive lefty power bat from Arizona State, though he would likely be relegated to 1st or possibly the outfield. Slugger
David Cooper from Cal would be another option, though given the depth at this position, the Yanks could probably get a decent college power bat in the sandwich or second round. I would love for Boras signee
Pedro Alvarez to drop, but there is no way that a player with his talent will fall to 28.
Among the college arms, there is nobody that really be a good value at #28, with the top 4 of Brian Matusz, Aaron Crow, Shooter Hunt, and Christian Friedrich all likely gone in the first 15 picks. Righty
Tanner Scheppers of Fresno State, a top 10 talent with mid-90's fastball and plus slider, would be the exception. However, he is likely to slide further down in the draft due to a stress fracture in his right shoulder, which might scare some teams off. The Yankees should definitely take a flier on him at some point, maybe with their sandwich pick, if they don't deem the injury to be too serious.
There are a number of high-ceiling high school position players that I think the Yankees will scrutinize closely. Shortstop
Casey Kelly (also a good pitching prospect) could be gone by the time the Yankees pick, but I love his athleticism (he's also a quarterback recruit at Tennessee). His bat is a concern, which might be a reason not to use a first-rounder on him, but the tools are there. Outfielder
Zach Collier has been rising quickly, and I like his combination of power and speed.
Isaac Galloway sounds like a relatively polished 5-tool prospect, though he doesn't have the upside of Collier. Canadian catcher
Brett Lawrie has a very exciting bat, with plus, plus power potential, though he is relatively raw behind the plate. I would consider drafting him and moving him to the outfield right away if they think his bat will play there, though it couldn't hurt to get another catcher in the system to push Montero, Romine, and Weems. Shortstop
Anthony Hewitt is another guy 5-tool with major helium, and he has been called the best athlete in the draft, though he is also quite raw.
The high school pitchers could be the hardest to project this year, with no one guy distinguishing himself from the rest of the pack.
Brett DeVall and
Kyle Lobstein are both polished lefties who would fill a position of need in the organization, though I think both would be overdrafts at 28 given that neither of them throw hard or have plus breaking stuff.
Alex Meyer is a 6'7" righty who was originally considered one of the top 3 high school arms, but has fallen due to inconsistent performance and limited opportunities for scouts to see him due to bad weather in Indiana. Meyer, who is being advised by Scott "Santa" Boras, might be seeking a multimillion dollar bonus, and could fall out of the first round if teams don't believe he's worth it. He has a low-90's fastball and a good breaking ball, and could be worth drafting at 28.
Gerrit Cole is another Boras signee who excites scouts with his easy mid-high 90's fastball and good slider, though poor makeup and high bonus demands may cause teams to pass on this top 10 talent.
Tim Melville is another righty who has fallen due to inconsistent performance, but his low 90's fastball, potentially plus curveball and 6'5" projectable frame draw comparisons to Phil Hughes.
Those names that I mentioned are most of the players I would consider taking with the #28 pick if I were the Yankees, though several if not all of them could be gone before the Yankees pick. Several of these guys, particularly Cole, Melville, and Scheppers, have been projected to go before the Yankees' pick, though I would not be surprised to see at least 1 of those 3 guys there at 28. Of the guys I have mentioned/considered, here's my draft board for the #28 pick (which is highly preliminary, and I reserve the right to change my mind).
1. Tanner Scheppers (though I would drop him if his injury is considered serious, and could be had in later rounds)
2. Gerrit Cole
3. Tim Melville
4. Zach Collier
5. Alex Meyer
6. Casey Kelly
7. Brett Lawrie
8. Isaac Galloway
9. Ike Davis
10. Brett DeVall
11. Anthony Hewitt
12. Kyle Lobstein
13. David Cooper
