Like every other draft in other sports, I try not to look too much into what I see on a player’s tape or what I hear from “expert” opinions. That being said, I like what I’m seeing so far from the Yankees’ first three selections in the 2015 MLB Draft. For years, it seemed like the Yankees had one of the worst farm systems in the league, but that is slowly not becoming the case, with studs like Aaron Judge, Rob Refsnyder, Luis Severino, and others. The Yankees added some more talent last night, beginning with the 16th overall pick, the earliest pick they’ve had in years.
Round 1, 16th selection: James Kaprielian, RHP, UCLA
Out of high school in Laguna Hills,California, Kaprielian was thought to be a high round talent, but made it clear he was playing for UCLA. I love seeing pitchers selected out of college, because I don’t have enough faith in 18 year olds making the leap as easily as someone who played in a more competitive setting. Kaprielian had a 1.55 ERA his freshman year out of the bullpen, and became UCLA’s ace the next year as a sophomore. This season, the 21 year-old had a sub 2.00 ERA for the Bruins, being able to throw strikes with all four of his pitches.
What I like most from James is that he isn’t what you would expect from a pitcher his size. He’s 6’4 and about 200 pounds, but he isn’t a fireball thrower. He’s been clocked at 94 MPH, but is more consistently at anywhere from 89-92 MPH. While at UCLA, he’s developed his secondary pitches and has shown he can throw them all for strikes. A lot of guys come out and are chosen early in the draft because they can throw in the upper 90’s and have the potential to throw other pitches for strikes. Potential is an almost impossible trait to judge, which is why so many players are picked too early. Since Kaprielian is one of the most polished and complete players in this draft, I love the pick, because it is as safe as a pick can be. He still needs to improve his offspeed stuff, but he’s shown to be one of the most ready pitchers in the draft.
Round 1, 30th selection: Kyle Holder, SS, San Diego
Breaking news: Kyle Holder will not be able replace Derek Jeter. But in a shortstop loaded draft, Holder looks like a steady guy coming out of San Diego. Holder is a pretty athletic guy, and shows it in the field, where he is regarded as one of the best defensive shortstops in the draft. He was originally planning on playing college basketball, so you instantly know he has great agility and range.
Based on his defense alone, I think he’ll be a big leaguer for a while. Holder reminds me of Brendan Ryan, but with a slightly better bat. His overall stat line improved this past season, with a line of .348/.418/.482 and his power numbers increasing as well. He’s not a power hitter by any stretch of the imagination; he’s a prototypical shortstop who looks for contact.
He isn’t the sexiest pick, but Kyle Holder will emerge as a reliable shortstop one day. Hopefully he can improve his hitting. If not, middle infielders are always valuable trade commodities, so he has value as a trade piece. As a Yankees fan, we’ve been accustomed to Brian Cashman gutting the farm system for professional talent anyway.
Round 2, 57th overall selection: Jeff Degano, LHP, Indiana State
The Yankees select another college player, something I love to see. He had a 2.36 ERA this season, but does not have a lot of information on him due to Tommy John surgery which sidelined him for most of 2013 and 2014. At first, I didn’t like to hear about the surgery. However, about 1 in 5 pitchers in the pros have the procedure done, and a lot of them come back stronger. Although he suffered the injury, he has still been clocked at up to 94 MPH, along with a devastating slurve that is sure to become a headache for lefties he faces. He also uses the “plus-minus” style on his curveball, meaning he’ll throw it differently, making it break at different times and speeds. His style reflects Randy Wolf early in his career.
Degano is another big dude at 6’4 200 pounds like his soon-to-be buddy James Kaprielian. He’ll need to improve his changeup, which has shown to be inconsistent and a pitch Degano doesn’t throw enough. But you can never have too many pitchers, and a lefty with Degano’s potential (there I said potential), I expect him to become a solid option for the Yankees one day, possibly out of the bullpen at the very least.
