2018 Draft

[Yankees]

Pick 64
Jameson Hannah - Dallas Baptist - OF: While it’s always nice to get a player with a ridiculously high ceiling, Hannah’s high floor combined with real potential for more was really intriguing to me. Hannah is a plus athlete, a fantastic base runner, and a potential plus fielder in CF & LF. Those attributes will help him find his way to the pros unless something crazy happens. The upside comes with the bat. Hannah is a quick twitch athlete with strong feel for the barrel. He has some pull-side punch, a good eye, and, when you squint hard enough, there’s a potential plus hit tool. He struggled in the Cape which will give some pause, but his MiLB debut went well until a sprained ankle which will give some hope.

Pick 112
Ryan Feltner - Ohio State - RHP: Feltner was the Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year before joining Ohio State. He brings a pretty strong 3-pitch mix, that will feature a plus fastball in the mid-high 90’s, a solid changeup, and a slurvy breaking pitch that the Rockies believe can be sharpened into a plus slider. While a little old for the level, Feltner tore through the Pioneer League to the tune of a 0.68 whip, 0.88 era, and 11.5 k/9. At worst, Feltner probably finds his way as a solid pen arm, but the Rockies believe strongly he’ll be a mid-rotation starter, so he’ll get every chance to prove them right.

Pick 115
Austin Cox - Mercer College - LHP: Cox will be a fun follow. He has absolutely elite swing-and-miss stuff, he just doesn't always know where it's going. With the potential for four(!) plus pitches, Cox was one of the top k/9 pitchers in the NCAA at Mercer, before abusing the Appy League to the tune of 12.9 k/9. The problem is that his control makes him a little too hittable for his stuff, and his bb/9 rates are not what you'd like to see...but they aren't out of control. The Royals have already worked to smooth out his mechanics, without losing any of his stuff, which, if it clicks, could be a legit #2/#3 starter...with the downside of a loogy.

Pick 116
Nico Decolati - Loyola Marymount - OF: Here's the part of the draft where I usually take a flier on a potential masher, and the sexiness of it being a Rockie was too much to pass up with Decolati. He was a much bigger talent than his draft position, but he was knocked down because of a 30% k rate in college. That's, uh, not great. The good news is he was down to 18% in Pioneer League and really turned heads with his ability to barrel the ball consistently and hit for power. He's a fast twitch athlete with excellent makeup, and the arm for right field. He has above average raw power, which could be completely unlocked if he learns to get his bat through the zone quicker. The upside is there for a legit middle of the order hitter in the always SIM helpful Coors Field, while the downside is a dude who just strikes out way too much.