Grading the New York Yankees' last 5 first-round draft picks

July is in full swing, and that means New York Yankees fans are diving into the club's prospect pipeline. Not only will some of New York's prized assets be dealt this month, but the system will be restocked with fresh young faces with the MLB draft right around the corner.

The Yankees haven't always been great here, especially in the first round. The 2010s saw a myriad of busts such as Eric Jagielo, Ty Hensley, and James Kaprielian, among others. It also gave rise to the league's best hitter, the one and only Aaron Judge.

Moving closer to present day, we now have at least some data on how New York's picks from 2020 to 2024 have fared since making their professional debuts, and now is as good a time as any to look back and grade those picks with the benefit of hindsight.

Grading the New York Yankees first round draft picks from 2020 through 2024

2020 - Catcher Austin Wells

Austin Wells rose through the minor league ranks relatively quickly, making his big league debut in 2023, then slowly overtaking veteran backstop Jose Trevino as the Yankees' primary catcher in 2024 before ascending to the role of unquestioned starter in 2025.

Throughout that time, the results have been mixed. As a prospect, Wells was regarded as a well-rounded offensive catcher who worked hard to improve his shaky defense, making great strides behind the dish in framing and blocking pitches, even if his arm would always leave something to be desired.

So far, the soon-to-be 26-year-old hasn't fully lived up to the lofty billing. In 2024, he showed off that impressive plate discipline, walking 11.4% of the time, even if his power was mostly absent with a good-but-not-great .395 slugging percentage. 2025 has been the opposite, with Wells posting a below-average 6.5% walk rate while slugging an impressive .459. The consistent struggle has been his ability to make regular contact, with a .226 career batting average.

Still, Wells' 3.2 career bWAR ranks above many of his first-round peers from that draft, and there isn't a player taken after him that makes one really kick themselves and say the Yankees missed out here. Betting on Wells did cost the Yankees another exciting young backstop in Augustin Ramirez, who was dealt to the Marlins for Jazz Chisholm Jr., but Chisholm plus Wells is still a net positive over what Ramirez may have offered alone.

Grade - B

2021 - Shortstop Trey Sweeney

Trey Sweeney, selected 20th overall, is the highest drafted player the Bombers have had over the last five years, and the only one who is not currently in the Yankee organization. The young shortstop was dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers, who then eventually flipped him to the Detroit Tigers in exchange for Jack Flaherty, a key cog in their World Series run, which culminated with them dispatching the Yankees in five games. Ouch.

As for Sweeney, the 25-year-old began the year as the Tigers' starting shortstop and has struggled mightily. On the season, he's batting just .216/.280/.317 with five homers and was even demoted back to Triple-A at one point this season.

Two players drafted after Sweeney stand out as better options that make the Yankees' choice look that much worse. The Cleveland Guardians selected starting pitcher Gavin Williams just three picks later, who looks like a promising young arm. Even more painful, San Diego Padres star Jackson Merrill was taken 27th overall. The Yankees didn't get much value out of Sweeney and passed on a couple of pieces who could've been contributors by now.

Grade- D-

2022 - Outfielder Spencer Jones

Nearly a decade prior to this bold selection, the Yankees took a mammoth 6-foot-7 outfielder from the collegiate ranks who boosted tremendous athleticism and light tower power, but had some real swing and miss in his game. Seven All-Star appearances, four Silver Sluggers, and two MVP Awards later, that player, Aaron Judge, couldn't have been a better pick, and when the Yankees were on the clock in 2022, they selected what they hope could become the left-handed version of him in the 6-foot-7 Spencer Jones.

Jones, 24, is currently the Yankees' No. 2 overall prospect and has just now reached Triple-A with 10 games in Scranton in which he's posted a ridiculous .385/.469/.846 line with five homers and four stolen bases. That's on the heels of a .274/.389/.594, 16-homer performance earlier in the year for Double-A Somerset.

Throughout his minor-league career, Jones' numbers had always been good, but they've never been this good. Prior to this breakout, his 30%-and-rising K rate put forth real questions as to whether he'd truly be able to hit in the bigs, making him a chip the Yankees might cash in on via the trade market.

There's going to be some risk, given that strikeout rate, and until Jones proves his worth in the majors, the jury is ultimately still out. But to get such sky-high potential at pick 25, you can't be mad at the pick, and the decision seems even sweeter, given his 2025 heater.

Grade - B+

2023 - Shortstop George Lombard Jr.

George Lombard Jr. has been the biggest riser in the prospect world, moving up 49 spots in MLB.com's Top-100 prospects May update, going from 93 to 44, while also surpassing Jones to claim the No. 1 spot amongst Yankee prospects.

His rise has been somewhat meteoric, as Lombard Jr. turned 20 on June 2, and, after lighting the world on fire with a .329/.495/.488 line at Hi-A Hudson Valley, received a promotion to Double-A Somerset, where he is much younger than his peers.

Lombard Jr. has struggled through 56 games in Somerset, slashing .202/.332/.303, not unlike how he struggled making the leap from Single-A to Hi-A last season. Despite the struggles upon promotions, the youngster has a complete toolbox, alongside a high baseball IQ and a desire to win.

There's not much to quibble on with this pick, though one could argue that if the Yankees wanted a high school shortstop, Kevin McGonigle, who went 37th overall to Detroit and is currently the No. 7 prospect in all of baseball, would have been a better choice. That criticism is nitpicky though, and while he's a ways off, Lombard Jr. certainly looks like a future star.

Grade - A-

2024 - Starting pitcher Ben Hess

The Yankees' most recent pick, Ben Hess, didn't make his debut until this year, giving us little to work with to come up with a grade. The 22-year-old has begun his career at Hi-A Hudson Valley, where there has been some good (13.14 K/9) and some bad (5.66 BB/9) over his first 49.1 professional innings.

MLB.com notes his big, burly frame as comparable to long-time big league starter Lance Lynn while pegging him with No. 2 starter upside. That upside has him ranked as the Yankees' No. 3 overall prospect, speaking volumes about exactly what his ceiling could look like.

While the high walk total is concerning, and something that has carried over from his final season at Alabama, Hess has had moments of dominance on the mound as well as supreme confidence in his ability to be an ace. We'll need to see more from the youngster, but the tantalizing potential makes this a solid pick.