Grading the 2016 Yankees Draft Class After Their First Pro Season

While the top prospects the New York Yankees acquired at the trade deadline have gotten the headlines, the team made some nice additions to their farm system in the 2016 June amateur draft.

First Round: Outfielder Blake Rutherford

Prospect evaluators Keith Law of ESPN and John Sickels of Minor League Ball both have pegged Rutherford as the best prospect from the 2016 draft class since the end of the regular season. He absolutely destroyed the Appalachian League at just 19, and could easily be the Yankees top prospect (and perhaps one of the top 20 in baseball) by this time next year with another strong campaign. Grade: A+

Second Round: Second Baseman Nick Solak

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While the tools are not very exciting, Solak can flat out hit. He put up a .321/.412/.421 slash line in 279 plate appearances, carrying the Staten Island Yankees on his back to the postseason. The defense is still kind of ugly in his first year at the keystone, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him develop into a solid MLB regular in another few years. Grade: A-

Third Round: Pitcher Nolan Martinez

The second member of the class of 2016 to crack MLB Pipeline’s 2016 Prospect Watch at number 30, Martinez made just three appearances in the Gulf Coast League this season, but showed off a low-90’s fastball with excellent movement, a power curve that projects as a plus MLB offering, and excellent control for his age (he just turned 18 in June. He’s still all projection at a gangly 6’1 165 lbs, but the promise is real. Grade: B+

Fourth Round: Pitcher Nick Nelson

Nelson somehow managed to surrender just eight runs in 21.1 IP while walking more than a batter per inning (22 BB and 19 K). That probably can’t happen again if he wants to remain a legitimate prospect. The Yankees reportedly saw some issues when he was pitching out of the stretch that they worked to address during Fall Instructs. He’s also adding a changeup to his repertoire for next season. Grade: D

Fifth Round: Outfielder Dom Thompson-Williams

The speedy outfielder out of the University of South Carolina showed off impressive wheels during his first stint in professional ball, but not a lot else, hitting .246/.348/.344 in 231 PA while swiping 15 bags in 20 attempts. DTW’s lack of power and slow bat speed were evident in the New York-Penn League, although he’s enough of an athlete that not all hope is lost. He could end up a useful fourth outfielder at some point. Grade: C-

Six Round: Pitcher Brooks Kriske

The 22-year-old righty put his impressive mid-90’s heater to good use for Staten Island, striking out 24.2% of the batters he faced while allowing just four earned runs in 16 innings of work (2.25 ERA). He’s a potential late-inning arm, which is a steal in the sixth round, and so far things are working out for Kriske as a pro. Grade: B+

Seventh Round: Catcher Keith Skinner

Seen by many as a money-saving pick at the time, Skinner didn’t play much during his first MiLB season, going 6-for-27 eight games behind the plate. He wasn’t ranked in Baseball America’s top 500 prior to the draft, and I haven’t seen anything that makes me think Skinner has any kind of future as a major league player. Jury’s still out I guess. Grade: F

Eighth Round: First Baseman Dalton Blaser

Another likely non-prospect, Blaser put up solid numbers in college, but they failed to translate to affiliated ball. He hit .223/.316/.287 in 231 plate appearances for the Baby Bombers while playing first base and the outfield corners. Grade: F

Ninth Round: First Baseman Tim Lynch

Splitting his year between the GCL and the Appalachian League, Lynch hit a mediocre .248/.360/.410 despite being several years older than his average competition. Pass. Grade: F

Tenth Round: Pitcher Trevor Lane

A dominant reliever during his senior year at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Lane continued to excel after joining the organization, allowing just one run while striking out 13 in 15.1 innings combined between the GCL and Staten Island. The undersized lefty doesn’t have dominant stuff, but if he keeps getting opposing hitters out as he climbs the ladder, you never know what could happen. Grade: B-

Eleventh Round: Pitcher Connor Jones

The 21-year-old lefty was solid in four GCL starts, striking out 13 and walking three while surrendering three earned in 11.2 IP (2.31 ERA). He was just moved to the rotation this year after two seasons as a reliever in college. While his control and secondary pitches need work, he has a quality mid-90’s fastball that will keep scouts watching for the next few years. Grade: C

Twelfth Round: Pitcher Taylor Widener

Possibly the biggest steal of New York’s draft. A power reliever who dominated two levels of A-ball this year. Should climb the ladder quickly. Grade: A+

Next: Most Important Dates for the Yankees Offseason

Honorable Mention- 25th Round: Outfielder Ed Luaces

Showed off an impressive combination of power and speed after joining the organization, hitting .241/.340/.460 with five home runs and four steals over 50 games in the GCL. The best of the team’s late-round lottery tickets.