The Major League Baseball draft combine was a success, as many of the draft interest prospects were showcased. The New York Yankees have various areas of business to handle within the farm system. Thankfully, this class of prospects are quite elite and diverse positionally.
Is it a pitcher with long-term starter capability? Or is it a potential closer? Whatever the Yankees prioritize will ultimately help the organization in most ways. You can never go wrong with pitching depth, whether as depth or collateral.
Positionally, the team needs a shortstop or a catcher in the long run. The club selects 39th in the competitive balance round “A”, and does not appear in round two or competitive balance round “B”.
They’ll select 103 overall in round three, then 134, 164, and so on. Which prospect could fill out the infield for the Yankees in the draft?
MLB Draft: Possible Prospects, 1B Tim Piasentin
Tim Piasentin is an intriguing player from Western Canada. The high school prospect attends Foothills Composite in Alberta, Canada. He’s originally from Coquitlam, British Columbia. Piasentin has been a part of a reputable program, named the Okotoks Dawgs, along with the Canadian Junior National Team.
The infielder originally entered the draft as a third baseman, but evaluators saw him at first base due to shifty defensive tools. On the selling end, his bat is extremely capable of offensive mayhem.
He shows raw power with the ability to make solid contact with a good launch angle, and home run capabilities. Last season he showed out at the Canadian Futures Showcase in Toronto, hosted by the Blue Jays. he finished with a .333 batting average, .538 on-base percentage, and a .444 slugging percentage.
His 22 home runs within the event’s home run derby gave evaluators all the notes they needed. Piasentin will end up at first base, making him a good selection, as his third base abilities are a plus.
Piasentin is ranked 160th by MLB in their draft prospect ranking.
3B Josh Hammond
This prospect would have to be a quick trigger for the Yankees. Josh Hammond is ranked 26th of MLB’s top 200 ranked prospects. He’s expected to be selected early in the top 20 picks, giving the Yankees a slight chance only if he’s passed up.
From High Point, North Carolina, the third baseman is 6’0”, 197.5 lbs attending Wesleyan Christian Academy. The high school prospect is currently committed to Wake Forest University, but likely will get a professional contract.
The Yankees would receive a loot bag of talent from this prospect, as he sits as an elite player two-ways. Hammond can pitch, but his value is in his bat. He throws a fastball up to 97 mph, and works a curveball, slider, and changeup in a team USA jersey.
𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁. 𝗦𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿. 𝗜𝘀. 𝗨𝗻𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗿.#PBAAG23 𝐌𝐕𝐏 Josh Hammond was 𝐝𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐭 in Milwaukee, WI last year.
The No. 11 ranked 2025 in the country ran the heater up to 95.1 while ripping off a 2900+ rpm SL 🤯. Excited to see what’s in store for #PBAAG24 👀 pic.twitter.com/BtupsNlaCK
— Prep Baseball (@prepbaseball) June 17, 2024
Hammonds hitting and athleticism is what gives him the job. With a 6.70 second 60-yard time, being on base would be an advantage for the prospect. He’s recorded a 106.3 exit velocity along with 24.8 mph hand speed, and 80.4 mph bat speed.
He has spray-power to all fields, showing raw power with home run strength and contact ability. His development and IQ as a hitter is maturing and will be a possible two-spot in a batting order. Hammonds hands are soft with a good transfer and strong arm.
If somehow the third base option or the bat tanks, the arm on the mound will make up for it. Hammond has an elite pitching profile and can offer that as a switch-over if needed. The Yankees get a real two for one deal in this one.
Main Photo Credits: David Reginek-Imagn Images
