Ben Hess

Scouting Report

Though Hess ranked as the best prep prospect in Illinois in 2021, he declined offers from pro teams because he wanted to attend Alabama. After missing time in both of his first two college seasons with injuries, he stayed healthy in 2024, posting a 5.80 ERA but also a 35 percent strikeout rate. The third first-rounder in Crimson Tide history, following Joe Vitiello and Taylor Tankersley, he signed for $2,747,500 as the No. 26 overall pick and will make his pro debut this year. Hess can overpower hitters with a four-seam fastball that parks at 92-96 mph and peaks at 99 with armside run, and the flat approach angle and extension in his delivery make it more difficult to barrel. While his curveball sits in the mid-70s, it gives him a second plus pitch with its ability to fool hitters thanks to its depth and sweep coming out of a low arm slot. His mid-80s slider can feature two-plane depth at times but lost some sharpness last year, and he no longer trusts a fading mid-80s changeup that once looked like a potential solid offering. At 6-foot-5 and 255 pounds, Hess draws some comparisons to Lance Lynn, and his strong frame and clean delivery should translate into strikes and durability. But his walk rate jumped from 5 percent in 2023 to 11 percent last spring, and his health issues have included a stress fracture in his back in high school and a flexor strain as an Alabama sophomore. The Yankees excel at developing pitchers and believe they can help him regain the slider and control he showed in the past, which could make him a No. 2 starter.