New York Yankees News: Yankees Miss Out on Son of Sandman

While the New York Yankees have made some good picks on day two of the 2015 MLB Draft, I must admit, I am a little sad. Many people remember the Houston Astros not being able to sign Brady Aiken. Not much news was made when the Yankees couldn’t sign their 872nd pick last year.

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That 29th round pick was Mariano Rivera, III. When the Son of Sandman was drafted last year, he was amid a rough red shirt sophomore season. The Yankees weren’t enamored by his 2-6 record nor his 5.40 ERA at the time of the draft, but more so his 5-pitch arsenal. They knew he had the skills. Rivera, III decided to go back Iona College and hone his skills.

It was the right choice. Little Sandman went out and put those bad numbers behind him en route to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year Award. Rivera, III was the Gaels ace this season posting a 2.65 ERA and a 113 strikeout to 27 walk ratio over 85 innings. He hurled 6 complete games, three of which were shutouts.

“In my mind, I wanted to be a top 10-rounder,” Rivera III was cited as saying to NJ.com.

Well, his draft stock certainly rose, and on Tuesday, after being pursued by the Atlanta Braves, the Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, Chicago Cubs and the New York Yankees, Rivera, III achieved his goal and was drafted in the fourth round by the Washington Nationals.

The 21-year old right hander is now part of a farm system that is known for pitching big name prospects, but not well known for handling them as well as some people would expect. Stephen Strasburg, Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez have all been under the close watch of the Nationals’ pitch count and innings limit regime due to injuries. It will be interesting to see how they handle Little Sandman, especially being the offspring of Mo who seemingly knew only how to throw when and however much he was needed.

“One day I will be in the bigs and making a name for myself, and that drives me,” Rivera, III told Alex Schiffer of NJ.com. “I feel like as a person, I was always hard on myself. I wanted to go in the top 10 rounds. That didn’t happen last year… I feel like I’ve done well enough to have that well under the 10th round.”

Will Mo, III follow in his father’s footsteps and become the next great reliever? Or will he do what his legendary father couldn’t do and stick in the pros as a starter? No one can answer that quite yet, but one thing is certain. The Washington Nationals are excited to find out!

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