Baseball scouting season is in session, and the 2024 MLB draft is fast approaching. The Yankees select 26th overall and there are three pitching options that the club should consider in the first round.
You’ll never lose by arming your farm system with extra pitching. The draft’s first round allows you to select the best available prospect. The Yankees selected 10 pitchers in last year’s draft; the earliest arm came in the second round when they selected Kyle Carr.
The 2024 MLB draft charts will show multiple potential pitching prospects at both collegiate and high school levels. These prospects are within the rankings that possibly fit the Yankees selection positions in the 2024 MLB draft.
Based on draft position, quality, and projectability, New York can consider three options for first-round selections.
2024 MLB Draft Pitching Prospects The Yankees Could Consider
2024 MLB Draft Prospect: RHP Chase Burns, Wake Forest
This arm is probably a long shot and most likely will go within the first five rounds. However, if Chase Burns somehow is available by round 26, the Yankees need to drop everything and make that phone call.
Chase Burns is a right-hander from the prestigious Wake Forest University. He ranks number five on the 2024 MLB draft top prospects rankings. Burns was drafted in the 20th round of the 2021 draft selections by San Diego. He decided to stick with college baseball and up his stock.
Burns showed professional qualities as a high schooler, where he’s been up to 100 mph on his fastball. Initially attending Tennessee, he went 13-5 in two seasons, striking out 117 batters and walking only 47. He averaged a 14.3 strikeout rate per nine innings.
With Wake Forest, he is 10-1 with a 2.46 ERA. He has struck out 184 hitters and walked 26 over 95 innings. Burns is touching up to 102 mph this year on his fastball and shows phenomenal strength and durability with his arm.
He commands well while relying on a put-away slider in the high 80s. He also employs a mid-80s curveball, which is effective, and a low-80s changeup that can be polished toward being a weapon.
2024 MLB Draft Prospect: RHP/LHP Jurrangelo Cijntje
Jurrangelo Cijntje is one of a kind; as you can see in the title, he pitches from both sides. Cijntje ranks 31st on the prospect rankings out of Mississippi State. He was previously drafted in 2022 by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 18th round and did not sign.
He’s a natural lefty who developed as a righty to match his dad’s profile. His dad was a right-handed professional pitcher in the Netherlands. Surprisingly, Cijntje may be more effective from his newly developed side of the rubber, but it has projections on both sides.
From the right side, he tops at 98 mph, sits consistently at 95-96 mph, and commands well. He has a mid-80s slider that’s his put-away pitch and a changeup that reaches 90 mph with fade and dip.
His left side sees a bit less power but more dart-action pitches. The fastball sits 92-94 mph and is well with the tail. This is accompanied by a low 80s curveball that gives chase. Cijntje has a .800 win-loss percentage this season, and in 83.2 innings, he’s struck out 108 batters and walked 29. This player is effective from both sides and poses quality in even higher selection rounds.
2024 MLB Draft prospect: LHP Gage Jump
Ranked 60th out of Louisiana State University, Gage Jump is a highly effective southpaw with an arm slot and an unreadable fastball. He was a previous draft pick in the 2021 selections, 18th round by San Diego.
His fastball ranges from 90-95 mph, topping out at 96 mph with bite and tail. He commands well and uses a high-70s curveball and late-80s slider to send hitters fishing.
He’s thrown 73.2 innings so far this season with LSU. He’s struck out 89, walked 20, and sits on a 6-1 record.
Jump would be a great projectable first-round pitcher or at least a second-round option.
Main Photo Credits: Scott Kinser-USA TODAY Sports
