The Yankees have signed their first-round pick (16th overall) right-handed pitcher Clarke Schmidt out of University of South Carolina and their second-round pick right-handed pitcher Matt Sauer out of Righetti High School in Santa Maria, Calif.
A 6-foot-1, 200-pound junior, Schmidt went 4-2 and ranked second in the nation with a 1.34 ERA (60.1IP, 41H, 15R/9ER, 18BB, 70K, 3HR) in nine starts for the Gamecocks in 2017. Named to USA Baseball's Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List for the second straight season, the 21-year-old posted a 10.44 K/9.0IP ratio and held opposing hitters to a .194 batting average (41-for-211).
Sauer went 9-1 with a 0.98 ERA (78.1IP, 42H, 18R/11ER, 31BB, 142K) in 14 appearances (13 starts) as a senior at Righetti High School in 2017. A two-way player, the 18-year-old also led the Warriors with a .427 (50-for-117) batting average while totaling 37R, 8 doubles, 2 triples, 1HR and 24RBI across 35 games, and was named the 2017 PAC-8 League Most Valuable Player.