Yankees break offensive silence emphatically in MLB Draft with powerful 12th-rounder

Through 10 rounds of the 2024 MLB Draft, the Yankees opted to select eight pitchers, many of whom fit the same mold: electric stuff, high praise from evaluators, terrible numbers, works in progress. It was painfully obvious what New York's plan was, and they stuck to it.

In the 12th round, though, the Yankees' braintrust may have finally succumbed to temptation and brought a Bomber back to the Bronx.

Kansas State center fielder Brendan Jones was the Yankees' selection with Pick No. 361, and the lefty-swinger has plenty of pop, which he put on display by tattooing Virginia's Jay Woolfolk 400 feet into the bright sun at 105 MPH in the NCAA Super Regionals last month.

Want speed? He's got that, too, swiping 40 of 42 bags this past season for a surprise K-State team that put their baseball program on the map. Now, Jones has a chance to take that resurgence a step forward in the Yankees' system.

Yankees MLB Draft Update: 12th-round pick Brendan Jones can mash

The Yankees' strength has been developing pitching in recent years, then either promoting said pitching to the bigs or dealing from their stockpile to make trade deadline waves. But just because you've struggled to transition offensive talent to the MLB level doesn't mean you should avoid it entirely. Jones certainly represents an injection of electricity in the 2024 draft class, and should start at Low-A Tampa at some point in the next several weeks; 11th-through-13th-round picks are more likely to sign than those who come later, given that the corresponding MLB teams probably worked out their contract details ahead of time.

Jones isn't a wild swing for the 2024 Yankees. It just feels that way because he holds a bat rather than posts a 5.80 ERA in college ball. You're right, you're right, unnecessary shot.

Jones' 2024 season finished up with a .303 average and nine bombs, a solid follow-up to his All-Big 12 Honorable Mention 2023 campaign. Last season represented the Kansas State program taking a massive step forward on the national stage, and ultimately got the Yankees to deviate from their patterned plan and pluck one of their most prominent stars.

Given that the big club could use an infusion of speed, as well as homegrown left-handed pop, Jones might remain one to watch over the next several years.