{"id":102248,"date":"2025-06-15T23:50:34","date_gmt":"2025-06-16T03:50:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=102248"},"modified":"2025-09-16T11:08:39","modified_gmt":"2025-09-16T15:08:39","slug":"reviewing-yankees-top-draft-picks-2024-one-year-later","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2025\/06\/15\/reviewing-yankees-top-draft-picks-2024-one-year-later\/","title":{"rendered":"Reviewing the Yankees’ Top Draft Picks of 2024 as July Approaches"},"content":{"rendered":"

June baseball is in full swing and the New York Yankees<\/a> remain atop the American League East. As we approach July, the scouting season gets hotter, as Major League Baseball\u2019s amateur draft is around the corner. The Yankees drafted well in 2024, and those prospects hold weight for the future of the club.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

General manager Brian Cashman\u2019s scouting department addressed the farm system in the last draft by prioritizing arms. Pitching in the draft was important, and the prospect list was flooded with high-caliber college pitching.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Yankees selected three pitchers in the first three rounds of the draft. This was because their prospect pitchers were advancing quickly and filling gaps throughout the organization, including the big leagues. <\/span>Where are these draft picks today and how are they performing?<\/span><\/p>\n

Looking at 2024 Yankees Draft Picks One Year Later<\/h2>\n

RHP Ben Hess, Round 1, 26th Overall<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Yankees’ top 2024 draft pick<\/a> is hot right now and making extreme progress in the farm system. Hess is currently with High-A Hudson Valley in the South Atlantic League. The right-handed prospect has a 4.05 ERA in eight starts,<\/a> and 40 innings pitched.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He has 59 strikeouts and 24 walks to go with a 4-2 record. Hess is living mid-90s on his fastball, showing very healthy offerings and effective command. His development is also on point and his advancement is expected to continue as scheduled.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hess is on pace to be one of New York’s future starting options years from now. The pitcher is ranked third in MLB.com’s Yankees prospect list<\/a> and his estimated time of arrival to the show is in 2027.<\/p>\n

RHP Bryce Cunningham, Round 2, 53rd Overall\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Yankees took Cunningham<\/a> in round two from the Vanderbilt University. Scouts had phenomenal things to say about the right-handed pitcher, and Cashman\u2019s staff agreed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So far, Cunningham\u2019s game has translated in his first stint of professional baseball with the Yankees’ High-A club, the Hudson Valley Renegades in the South Atlantic League.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n