Yankees Draft Watch: 3 possible first-round pitching prospects

Oklahoma Sate's Justin Campbell (27) pitches during a bedlam college baseball game in the Big 12 tournament between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Oklahoma State Cowboys (OSU) at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, May 26, 2021.Lx14443
Oklahoma Sate's Justin Campbell (27) pitches during a bedlam college baseball game in the Big 12 tournament between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Oklahoma State Cowboys (OSU) at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, May 26, 2021.Lx14443
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Yankees
May 26, 2021; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma St. pitcher Justin Campbell (27) delivers a pitch to Oklahoma during the Big 12 Conference Baseball Tournament at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

2. RHP Justin Campbell, Oklahoma State

Oklahoma State monster right-hander Justin Campbell towers over you off the mound as a 6-7, 219-pound sophomore, ranking 36th in MLB’s Top 200 prospects. Justin has a unique delivery and unorthodox mechanics, making visuals and recognition difficult for hitters. He has a long-stretched reach to the plate with a shorter arm extension, followed by a repeated delivery and consistent windup from the left side of the rubber.

He commands his fastball well, and is able to hit spots. His fastball ranges 92-94 MPH on average, maxing at 97 MPH with tail. He throws a changeup and a curveball, which are both extremely effective in forcing weak ground balls and disallowing hard contact.

According to his career college statistics, he’s a strikeout machine, seating 265 hitters and only walking 58 in a total of three seasons, topped off with a 17-6 record.

Additionally … this guy can hit. He totaled 116 plate appearances in three seasons, with 17 RBI, 17 runs, 30 hits, and a .313 average to his name. Campbell was drafted out of high school in the 18th round of the 2019 MLB draft. This arm is polished to assist a system such as the Yankees’; Campbell can be a possible first- or second-rounder.

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