Yanks take Finley to open Day 2 of Draft
High school righty fanned 20 batters in one game, is son of Dodgers scout
NEW YORK -- The Yankees dipped into the high school pool for the first time in this year's Draft on Tuesday, using their third-round selection (92nd overall) to take right-handed pitcher Drew Finley from Rancho Bernardo High School in suburban San Diego.
Finley, 18, set the California state single-game record with a 20-strikeout performance in April. The 6-foot-3, 200-pounder is 9-1 with an 0.90 ERA, allowing 34 hits in 78 innings with 25 walks while striking out 124. He has committed to the University of Southern California.
"This has been an exhausting season," Finley told the San-Diego Union Tribune this week. "I understand I'm the No. 1 guy at RB, so I pitch every big game. That's a big deal, an honor, but it's stressful, too. ... My dad has a pretty good handle on things. We'll see what happens and make our decision."
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David Finley, Drew's father, played two seasons in the Minors with the Athletics and currently serves as the Dodgers' vice president of amateur and international scouting. Finley's fastball is clocked between 88-92 mph, and he features one of the better breaking balls among high school pitchers in the class, as well as a changeup that he has not used often.
The Draft concludes on Wednesday, with exclusive coverage of Rounds 11-40 on MLB.com beginning at noon ET.
Round 4: CF Jeff Hendrix, Oregon State University
A solid defender whom observers believe could profile as a future center fielder, left fielder or fourth outfielder at the big league level, Hendrix batted .339 (75-for-221) with 15 doubles, five triples, six homers and 34 RBIs in 58 games for Oregon State as a junior in 2015.
The 6-foot, 195-pounder was selected in last year's Draft by the Royals, who called his name in the 39th round before Hendrix opted to return to the Beavers. Hendrix, who grew up in Corvallis, Ore., has said that he tried to pattern his game after current Yankees outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, also an Oregon State alum.
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Hendrix was selected to the All-Pac-12 First Team in 2014, when his .351 batting average ranked third in the Pac-12. Hendrix lettered for three years in football (playing running back, wide receiver, kicker and punter) and basketball (shooting guard) during his career at Santiam Christian High School.
Round 5: RHP Chance Adams, Dallas Baptist University
The Yankees see bullpen potential in Adams, who compiled a 1.98 ERA and registered 12.66 strikeouts per nine innings while serving as a setup man in his junior season at Dallas Baptist.
It was Adams' first year at the school after spending his freshman and sophomore years at Yavapai Junior College (Prescott, Ariz.), where he transitioned from the rotation into a relief role. The 6-foot, 215-pounder turns 21 in August and features a fastball that can touch the mid-90s, as well as a sharp slider that is considered to be a plus pitch.
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The 153rd overall pick in this year's Draft, the Scottsdale, Ariz., native was 7-1 while leading the Dallas Baptist pitching staff with 83 strikeouts over 23 appearances and 59 innings.