3 Yankees 2025 MLB Draft picks that were reaches, 3 that were gifts

There's a lot of nuance to the MLB draft. Rather than simply worrying about picking the best overall player with each selection, general managers have to worry about slot values and how to fit each chip in their overall bonus pool. Sometimes that means saving a little money at the top to be more aggressive later on. In the case of the New York Yankees, at some points they excelled at this in the 2025 draft, and at other times, their selections looked like real reaches.

That extra layer of strategy means that sometimes a gem falls into your lap later on. It also means that sometimes a premium pick is spent on a player who has no business being taken that high. For Brian Cashman and the Yankees, there are a few instances of both behaviors present in their 2025 draft class.

These three Yankees 2025 MLB Draft picks were real reaches

Pitcher Mac Heuer - Eighth Round, Pick 254

On paper, Texas Tech starter Mac Heuer looks like the type of physically imposing presence on the mound that teams salivate over. Standing at 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds, the 21-year-old burly right-hander has the frame to dominate on the mound.

However, what he did this past season at Texas Tech was far from dominant. Heuer posted a 6.28 ERA that was driven by a higher-than-average 9.5% walk rate. College stats aren't the end-all-be-all, and as his physical attributes would suggest, the youngster has a high velocity, high spin fastball that could be polished to build the foundation of a dominant pitcher.

On the other hand, Heuer has a delivery that features short arm action and is inefficient overall. That part will take a lot of work to iron out, and may limit his ceiling to that of a reliever. The Yankees love their big-bodied hurlers, but the bottom line is thatBaseball America had him ranked 363rd for a reason, and taking him over 100 spots above that ranking is the epitome of a reach.

Shortstop Core Jackson - Fifth Round, Pick 164

Core Jackson certainly has an 80-grade baseball name, as well as some accolades to back up his selection. The 22-year-old was named a Brooks Wallace Award semifinalist, an honor given to the top collegiate shortstop, and was also designated the best player from the state of Utah by MLB.com. Utah isn't exactly a hotbed for baseball talent, so take that distinction with a grain of salt.

There's a lot to like about Jackson. He's got superior athleticism and solid defensive chops that should allow him to stick at shortstop. He's also got some solid bat-to-ball skills and is a lefty swinger who could benefit from playing his home games in the Bronx.

With that said, he has a higher-than-average chase rate at 28.2% on the season, which brings into question whether or not he can maintain his impressive contact rates against tougher levels of competition. His power is just average, mostly of the doubles variety, which also makes that propensity to chase worrisome.

For all his defensive acumen, his arm strength isn't elite, either. There are tools here that, with development, could make Jackson an impressive shortstop prospect, but there are enough red flags that make his selection at this point in the draft a bit of a reach.

Shortstop Dax Kilby - First Round (Comp A), Pick 39

The Yankees will look to buck their trend of taking disappointing high school shortstops with their top picks with their selection of Georgia high schooler Dax Kilby.

Kilby has a lot of tools as an athletic middle infielder with one of the more polished offensive profiles coming out of high school in this draft class. There's certainly a lot to like.

But there are also some things you don't want to see out of a first-round pick coming out of high school. For one, his questionable arm strength and unorthodox throwing motion will likely pull him off short as his professional career gets underway.

Secondly, his lack of overwhelming tools made many experts believe he was a second-round talent, at best, pre-draft. The youngster has also battled some shoulder issues during his high school career. There's a lot of talent here, but it would have looked a lot better coming in rounds two or three rather than as the Bombers' top pick in the draft. Unfortunately, New York didn't have another pick under No. 100 ... and so it goes.

The Yankees are glad that these three 2025 MLB Draft picks landed in their laps like gifts

Center Fielder Richie Bonomolo Jr. - Seventh round, Pick 224

A local product from the Bronx, Richie Bonomolo Jr. originally went the JUCO route, showing off some impressive speed to lead all JUCO players with 62 steals. He then transfered to Alabama, where he would slash .311/.416/.526 in the tough SEC in 2025.

Bonomolo Jr. has a lot to like in his game. His speed on the bases also translates to range in center, and his arm plays there as well, helping him project as an above-average defender. He has some power in his game, as well as very good patience that will lead to a solid walk rate.

None of his tools may be truly elite, but he's a well-rounded player who likely would have gotten more recognition had he played longer at the highest level of the collegiate ranks. Without a true weakness, it's easy to see why the Yankees took him higher than his 358th ranking.

Pitcher Blake Gillespie - Ninth Round, Pick 284

Blake Gillespie's final season at UNC Charlotte saw him show out in a number of ways. The righty posted a 2.42 ERA and racked up 131 strikeouts in just 100.1 innings. That strikeout total was good for fourth in all of Division-I baseball.

Gillespie relies heavily on his devastating slider, a pitch he threw 61% of the time, and led the nation in whiffs. While the reliance on the slider might make him a reliever in the majors, he also possesses very good control and a fastball that can get up into the mid-90s, leading some to hold out hope that he can work as a starter.

Whatever his future path may hold, Gillespie has the look of a contributor at the highest level, be it from the bullpen or the rotation. Had he pitched more in college, he'd likely have been in the conversation to go even higher.

It's never a bad bet to gamble on an elite skill, and that's exactly what Gillespie's slider is. He should be fun to watch as he works through the Yankees' minor-league system, and depending on whether he takes a starter or reliever track, it might not take long for him to reach the show.

Pitcher Brennan Stuprich - 14th Round, Pick 434

Brennan Stuprich made massive leaps in his final year at Southeastern Louisiana, improving greatly in his ability to generate swings and misses. The right-hander has a solid four-pitch mix that features a low-90s fastball, slider, changeup, and curve.

He can throw strikes with the entire repertoire, which led to him posting a dominant 29.7% strikeout rate and sparkling 7.6% walk rate. None of his pitches are elite, but they are all good enough that, when combined with his control, they can generate whiffs.

At just 5-foot-10, Stuprich doesn't have ideal size for a pitcher, and as an older prospect who turns 24 in November, he doesn't have the highest ceiling.

With that said, there's something to be said for having actual demonstrated baseball ability over raw tools that may or may not coalesce into results. Stuprich has the former, and getting a player with that type of polish this late in the draft maximizes his ability to pan out, even if his potential impact might not be as high as some of the higher-ceiling, lower-floor prospects in the class.