Commissioner Robert D. Manfred Jr. didn't waste any time Saturday, announcing Hunter Dietz as the 35th overall pick by the New York Yankees right there in Philadelphia. Yeah, that's right, the MLB Draft is already rolling, and while the White Sox snagged UCLA's Roch Cholowsky at No. 1 overall, the Yankees had to wait a bit, but they definitely made their first pick count.
Day 1 Brings Four New Baby Bombers To The Bronx
Day 1 of the draft included the first four rounds, and since the Yankees held onto all their picks, they got to grab four new talents. After Dietz, the lefty out of Arkansas with a sweet $2,826,700 slot value, they kept the southpaw trend going. They snagged Sean Duncan, another lefty, from Terry Fox SS in British Columbia as the 63rd overall pick, looking at a $1,451,700 slot. Then came Brendan Brock, a catcher from Oklahoma, who went 99th overall with a $792,300 slot. To round out the first day, the Yankees picked Paul Gutierrez-Contreras II, an outfielder from Cal State Fullerton, at 127th overall for a $603,500 slot. That's a strong start, bringing in two lefties, a catcher, and an outfielder. These guys are the newest Baby Bombers, pending those all-important signatures.
Day 2 Action Heats Up, Signing Deadlines Loom
Get ready, because 16 more picks are coming down today! Round 5 kicks off at 11:30 AM ET, and you know the pace is going to be quick as they push all the way to the 20th and final round. They've already added some serious talent, with C Bear Harrison from Texas A&M, 3B Andrew Gonzalez out of Americas HS, RHP Michael Harpster from East Tennessee St., RHP/DH Luke Pettitte from Dallas Baptist, and RHP David Leslie out of Pittsburgh already on the list for later rounds. This is where teams find those hidden gems. Keep an eye on those names, because all these players have until 5:00 PM ET on July 27th to sign on the dotted line, unless they're college seniors who've already used up their eligibility. It's a waiting game now, but the future is taking shape.
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.