Yankees Rumors: Latest MLB Mock Draft Pegs New York to Draft Little League Hero

The latest New York Yankees draft rumors have them selecting a memorable face from the Little League World Series.

Despite all the uncomfortable turmoil currently turning minor-league baseball upside down, the 2020 MLB Draft will still proceed as scheduled on June 10, in abbreviated fashion, featuring just five rounds. The latest Yankees draft rumors indicate they could be poised to get a steal at the very back of the first round, with a familiar face from a memorable Little League World Series run potentially still on the board.

With Pick No. 28, MLB Pipeline predicts the Yankees will select SS Ed Howard of Chicago’s Mt. Carmel HS, who you may remember from his run with Jackie Robinson West in the 2014 Little League World Series.

Initially, MLB Pipeline’s mocks had the Yanks selecting Carson Tucker, another shortstop who will realistically also be in play when it comes time for them to make their selection. But the new update factors in Howard’s defensive wizardry; he seems like a preferable target if he’s still on the board.

Howard remains an Oklahoma commit, at the moment, but the power of the pinstripes can sway many a draft-eligible star (except Gerrit Cole, back in the day).

Draft guru Jim Callis had amazing praise for Howard, claiming, “[He] is the draft’s best true shortstop, and doesn’t deserve to last this long, but he could.”

His Little League outfit brought him a brush of fame (and controversy) at an incredibly young age. Howard, a memorable mound presence during the run, was stripped of his inspirational LLWS title at the age of 12 when it was discovered the team used players from outside the district.

Coming off a canceled senior year of high school due to the coronavirus pandemic, Howard hit .419 in 29 games last season. Clearly comfortable on the big stage, it would be quite a coup for the Yankees to finagle a bonafide top talent at No. 28.