Trammell v. Gowdy: Who Should the Yankees Draft at 18?

In his first mock draft of 2016, ESPN’s Keith Law predicted the Yankees to draft outfielder Taylor Trammell with their 18th overall pick.

However, he also added that the Yankees might be inclined to draft right-handed pitcher Kevin Gowdy as well.

So who should the Yankees chose?

Let’s discuss:

Trammell currently holds a verbal commitment to Georgia Tech, but of course he can elect to sign an entry-level deal and head straight to the minor leagues instead of college if and when he’s drafted in the first round.

Kevin Gowdy on the other hand is an 18-year old right-handed pitcher out of Santa Barbara High School in Souther California. According to Hudson Belinsky of Baseball America, Gowdy is one of the premier pitching prospects in the 2016 High School class. Per Belinsky:

He has a mature delivery and demeanor on the mound, and he’s already got a three-pitch mix that can make even the best hitters look foolish. Gowdy could develop into a major league rotation cog, and it might not take him as long to develop as it takes most high school prospects.

According to Gowdy’s scouting report on MLB.com, the aforementioned arsenal with three above average pitches includes his fastball (90-93 mph), slider and change up.

Aside from James Kaprielian, Ian Clarkin and Aaron Judge, the New York Yankees don’t possess an overwhelming number of blue-chip pitching or outfield prospects, so adding one of Trammell or Gowdy to the fold and hoping they reach their ceiling is a risk the Yankees should certainly be willing to take.

If it were up to me, I would prefer the Yankees look into drafting a prospect currently playing at the collegiate level, as these prospects are usually closer to reaching the major league level and it seems like they have a better track record of panning out.

But, If I had to chose between Taylor Trammell or Kevin Gowdy, I would prefer Gowdy to Trammell simply because you can never have enough pitching. Also, with three above-average pitches already at the age of 18, there’s no telling how nasty Gowdy and his stuff will become when he fully grows into his lanky 6-foot-4 frame.

It wouldn’t shock me one bit if a team drafting in front of the Yankees rolls the dice on Gowdy and snags him off the board early, but if he’s still available at 18 the Yankees should welcome him with open arms.

What do you think Yankee fans? Let us know in the comments below: