Ranking the Yankees’ MLB Draft picks in rounds 11-20

The final day of the 2021 MLB Draft is officially over. It was a whirlwind of activity, with teams making their selections in rounds 11-20 in just a few hours. While much less glamorous than the action on days one and two, day three is just as important. Most of an organization’s farming system is populated from these selections, so every selection counts.

For their first pick of the day, the Yankees knocked out six-foot-eight Jack Neely from Ohio State in the 11th round. The right-hander is a pitcher who takes advantage of his frame to generate speed, but struggled with steps and home runs. They then selected Dartmouth wide receiver Ben Rice, 2020 Futures League MVP. At No.13, they took on six-foot-six reliever Zach Messinger, whose performance for Virginia in the ACC tournament hinted at potential as a future starter.

New York recruited its first high school student the next day – six-foot pitcher Sean Hermann from Durant HS in Florida – likely influenced by the six mph he added to the radiator since 2018. They completed their top five picks of the day with VCU junior Danny Watson, a six-foot-seven pitcher with a low three-quarter arm lunge.

To kick off their last five caps, the Yankees took out Cole Ayers of State College of Florida Manatee – Sarasota, a pitcher with a nasty curve who increased his stock by converting to a JUCO-level starter. Then they selected Indiana left-handed outfielder Grant Richardson, who led the Big Ten in the home circuits in the shortened 2020 season. They returned to the pitcher at 18, removing six-foot-eight Bailey Dees from Penn State, a starter who struggled with the long ball as a senior.

With the penultimate pick, they went with Vanderbilt wide receiver Dominic Keegan, who was considered by some to be the most formidable bat on the Vandy’s College World Series finalist team in 2021. Finally, they concluded by taking six-foot-five pitcher Sean Hard of St. Joseph Regional HS in New Jersey, though he’s seen as a strong commitment to Boston College and unlikely to sign this year.

So there you have it, the Yankees picked their 2021 MLB Draft Class. There seemed to be a clear agenda with this final day’s selections as they were targeting the big guys. They spent half their picks on pitchers six feet five or taller, due to the belief that taller frames are conducive to generating more power. Now it’s up to the Yankees development staff to help these young men maximize their physical gifts.

Here’s a full description of picks 11-15, while a breakdown of picks 16-20 can be found here. Now that the Yankees are done with the draft, we want to hear from you. How do you think the Yankees did on day three? How would you rate their choices today?