After Green, Yanks stockpile pitching on Day 2

Club drafts 6 hurlers in next 7 picks after taking high school outfielder

June 6th, 2018

On Day 2 of the MLB Draft, the Yankees picked up six pitchers, five of which are right-handers, and two outfielders on top of Monday's selections of catchers Anthony Seigler and Josh Breaux.
Here's a closer look at the eight newly drafted New York Yankees.
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Round 3: OF Ryder Green, Karns High School (Tenn.)
The 18-year-old Vanderbilt commit didn't have the most conventional four years of high school attending three different schools in his four years. He spent his first two seasons at Hardin Valley before transferring to Knoxville Christian in 2017.
Green quickly adjusted to his new team in 2017, slashing an impressive .458/.571/.930 with 28 RBIs and seven home runs before making one last transfer to Karns High School for his senior season. The outfielder then made a strong impression on his new team, hitting .472 with four home runs and 15 RBIs through the first 15 games of the 2018 season.
At Karns, not only did the 6-foot, 200-pound outfielder play a key role in the lineup, but he was also relied on heavily as a closing pitcher. MLB Pipeline's 82nd-ranked Draft prospect picked up the save in the district championship game against Powell High School this season to give Karns its third straight title. Green has been clocked up to 93 mph and has flashed a hard curveball on the mound.
Although his numbers have proven that he is a standout, Green is left with the decision of whether to become pro or attend college.

Round 4: RHP Frank German, University of North Florida
When German began his collegiate career at the University of North Florida, his numbers did not scream Major League potential. But just two years later, the right-hander has posted jaw-dropping statistics that have turned the heads of Yankees scouts.
For the first time in school history, the University of North Florida had a pitcher drafted within the first five rounds of the MLB Draft. With the 127th pick, the Yankees selected German, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound right-hander. Although this was an exciting moment for the school, North Florida head baseball coach Tim Parenton was happier for the pitcher.
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"I am excited for him because I think he has a chance," Parenton said. "He's going through a great organization. He has a chance to work his way from Rookie ball to work it all the way up the ladder. I really think he has a bright future. He has a young arm and he does exactly what professional guys are looking for."
As a freshman, German posted decent numbers with a 4.36 ERA. As a sophomore, the right-hander sliced his ERA down to 2.43 before recording a 1.58 ERA in 2018. MLB Pipeline's 191st-ranked prospect finished his senior campaign with a team-high 108 strikeouts in 14 starts, picking up two complete games while holding opponents to a .190 batting average.
"I really think he just grew into his body. He was a tall, skinny guy. The spin rate that all these guys are talking about now, he's got that," Parenton said of German's improvement. "I talk to other college coaches, and they say that players just can't follow the baseball. I think just growing into his body helped him. He got bigger and stronger and he just developed."
On top of his physical developments, Parenton said that German put in extra time on the field.
"He took to everything our pitching coach told him," Parenton said. "He ran extra. He took the ball daily like pro guys do because pro guys are throwing every single day. We tried ... to get on throwing programs like the pros do it. He stayed to it, and it's one of the reasons he was able to stay healthy this year."

Round 5: CF Brandon Lockridge, Troy University
Troy University's baseball season may have come to a close on Sunday with a loss in the NCAA Athens Regional, but Lockridge's baseball career is just beginning as the Yankees selected the 6-foot-1, 185-pound junior with the 157th pick.
Lockridge is known for his speed on the bases and his bat speed and power in the batter's box. The outfielder holds multiple records for his university in his three years, including the most triples in a single season (seven) and most career triples (14). The speedster finished the 2018 season with 25 stolen bases.
The Pensacola, Fla., native started 166 consecutive games for Troy, which is the longest streak by any player since at least 2000. After hitting .265 with a team-best 16-game hitting streak his freshman year, Lockridge finished his junior season slashing .307/.429/.480.
"Brandon has worked extremely hard since he arrived on campus three years ago, and today his work was rewarded by the Yankees," Troy head coach Mark Smartt said in a press release. "I truly believe his athletic ability combined with his work ethic will get him to the big leagues. He represented Troy the right way both on the field and off. I am so happy for him and his family."
Lockridge has also drawn attention defensively both in the outfield and infield. In 2018, he recorded 164 putouts and three outfield assists with just one error, resulting in a .994 fielding percentage. Although he is listed as an outfielder, Lockridge started all 56 games of his sophomore season and 55 games of his freshman season at second base, earning a 2017 All-Sun Belt First Team selection.
Lockridge joins Mike Felix, Jorge Soto, Nate Moore and David Bond as the school's only players selected in the top five rounds of the Draft.
Round 6: RHP Rodney Hutchison, University of North Carolina
Although his numbers from his junior year at North Carolina might not pop out on paper, Hutchison's performance in the Cape Cod League last summer was enough to catch the eye of the Yankees' scouts.
Despite going 3-3 with a 4.63 ERA in 2018, Hutchison posted a whopping 0.60 ERA through 30 innings of relief in the Cape, recording 21 strikeouts.
The 6-foot-5, 225-pound right-hander is a big body who is able to throw a heavy fastball. He was clocked at 96 mph during the ACC Tournament. He is a versatile pitcher who could pitch anywhere in the rotation or could come out of the bullpen.
Round 7: RHP Daniel Bies, Gonzaga University
After undergoing Tommy John surgery in high school, it seemed hard enough for Bies to even imagine pitching at the collegiate level, let alone in the big leagues, but on Tuesday the Yankees selected the 6-foot-8, 245-pound right-hander with the 217th overall pick.
In his first year at Gonzaga, Bies was cut from the program but was able to redshirt his freshman year without having a roster spot. He worked to make the team the following year and recorded a 4.91 ERA with eight strikeouts through 7 1/3 innings.
In 2018, Bies had a team-best 2.49 ERA in 16 starts, striking out 124 batters while walking just 25 through 112 innings. Bies proved to be a workhorse while pitching three complete games.
Bies isn't the first professional athlete in his family. His grandfather was a professional golfer with eight PGA/Senior PGA Tour wins.
Round 8: RHP Connor Van Hoose, Bucknell University
With the 247th pick, the Yankees selected one of the best pitchers in Bucknell's history. Van Hoose is a 6-foot-1, 195-pound right-hander who sits at the top of multiple Bucknell leaderboards.
Despite missing the majority of his freshman and sophomore seasons due to injury, Van Hoose proved that he did not need much time to make a major impact. This past season, Van Hoose was named the Patriot League Pitcher of the Year. He went 8-4 with a 2.36 ERA in 12 starts, going 6-1 with a 0.57 ERA in Patriot League play while holding opponents to a .151 batting average. The righty struck out a career-high 108 batters, which was the third most in school history.
In his career at Bucknell, Van Hoose had a 16-13 record and a 2.55 ERA. He graduated ranked No. 2 in school history with 238 strikeouts, trailing only Bucknell Hall of Famer Don Richards, who had 354 from 1954-56. His 11.04 strikeouts per nine innings are also second behind Richards all time.
"I am really excited for Connor," said Bucknell head coach Scott Heather in a press release. "He has put a ton of work into his development as a pitcher. He had a great college career at Bucknell, and it is nice to see that people noticed."
This is the first time that the Yankees have drafted a player from Bucknell.
"He is going to a great organization, and I can't wait to follow his career," Heather said. "Connor is a young man with great character, and we all wish him the best of luck as he starts his pro career."
Round 9: RHP, Mick Vorhof, Grand Canyon University
With Jake Wong being selected in the third round (80th overall) by the Giants, the Yankees' selection of Vorhof with the 277th pick marked the first time since 1988 that two Grand Canyon University players were selected in the top 10 rounds.
The Yankees continued their trend of finding pitchers with a good swing-and-miss rate as Vorhof recorded 48 strikeouts while allowing just three walks in 38 1/3 innings in 2018. The right-hander can get up to about 94 mph out of the bullpen.
Vorhof spent much of his career as Grand Canyon's closer and finished this past season with a career-best seven saves. With 93 appearances in his four-year career, Vorhof leaves the program having made more appearances than any other pitcher in Grand Canyon's 65-year history.
Round 10: LHP Josh Maciejewski, UNC Charlotte
With their final pick of Day 2, the Yankees selected the 6-foot-3, 175-pound Maciejewski.
Maciejewski set Charlotte's all-time record for most starts in a career with 55 after his three-hit shutout of UAB in the Conference USA Tournament on May 24. He threw 104 innings with 104 strikeouts, allowing just 26 earned runs while posting better than a four to one strikeout-to-walk ratio.
In addition to earning the top spot for career starts, the left-hander finished fifth with 330 1/3 career innings pitched, sixth with 264 strikeouts and tied for sixth with 21 wins.