The Major League Baseball amateur draft is peaking from a distance, being about two months away. The New York Yankees will look to score as high as they can in their first selection. Would a shortstop be ideal?
Yankees Need to Find Their Future Shortstop in the 2026 MLB Draft
In the Derek Jeter days in the Bronx, shortstop was never a true worry. The Yankees had the position locked down and carried subtle potential replacements in the minor leagues. That hype and anticipation grew as the Yankees legend approached his final games.
Anthony Volpe was the name that was expected to fill the big “Captain Jeter” cleats in the hole. Time only explained that this maybe was not the situation the Yankees wanted to be in. It’s hard to fill the shoes of an icon.
Back to the drawing board of the draft, Brian Cashman’s scouting department will look for a “guy” to work the middle infield hole. They’ll seek an athletic infielder that moves well, soft and quick hands, and records sufficient put-outs.
In addition, a bat that works in the top five in the lineup that can work a .300-plus on-base percentage and a high batting average. On top of this, they’ll seek a player with longevity and shelf life; someone they can brand well and pursue a few World Series runs with. At the very moment, what are the options from the Grassroots.
The Yankees Draft Hunt Could View These Shortstop Options
The downfall for the Yankees is where they make their first selection in this year’s draft. A 10-pick penalty sets them back to pick 35th of the draft, making options very slim with regards to shortstops.
Options one and two in this draft class is almost impossible for the Yankees; and both options are high leverage shortstops. Roch Cholowsky is ranked top prospect on this year’s draft list. He’s out of the infamous University of California Los Angeles (UCLA).
Cholowsky impresses heavily with the bat, scoring all 60s on his grading scale, despite a 45 on his arm. He is a high leverage hitting shortstop that is sharp with all of his tools. The shortstop would be a fit in the Bronx, but it won’t happen. He’ll end up a Chicago White Sox prospect or Tampa Bay Ray.
Grady Emerson is ranked second; he’s another high leverage hitting shortstop who’s out of Forth Worth Christian High School. This makes him even more valuable in terms of slot value, and demand.
Emerson enters the draft with 60-graded tools, hitting from the left side. He’s another shortstop the Yankees won’t have much of a chance with. Emerson is committed to go to Texas, but that probably won’t happen.
So, what’s the most likely option?
Stronger Possibilities
The Yankees second draft option would be Tyler Bell, a 6’1” shortstop out of the University of Kentucky. This would be one of the higher end but possible options for the Yankees, as he’s projected to go later in the first round.
Bell was previously drafted in 2024 in the competitive balance round, 66th overall by the Tampa Bay Rays. He chose to take his talents to Kentucky, upping his draft stock.
Bell was a staple producer for Kentucky, kicking off his career as a freshman. He carried that into his second year, where he totaled 16 home runs, and 72 RBIs on 110 hits. The switch-hitter has bat speed and power.
His ability on defense has matched his offensive capabilities. He’s agile with good movement, a good arm, and durability. Bell would make a great addition; however, he will also undergo surgery for his shoulder.
Aiden Ruiz is the other option; probably the more likely one. Ruiz, from New York, is a switch-hitting shortstop out of high school. He is currently committed to Vanderbilt University. Although being undersized and an average hitter, Ruiz is known for his leather.
His defender statute alone gets him in round one conversation, flashing extreme athleticism and ability to field his position at a high level. Ruiz is ranked 38th of the top 150 draft prospects. He’s more within range of selection for the Yankees in the first slot.
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