Yankees 2026 MLB Draft Recap

By Andy Singer

July 16th, 2026

With all of the pomp and circumstance surrounding the All-Star Game this year, it feels as though some other really important baseball news has flown under the radar. I've seen almost no talk about the Futures Game, often a highlight of All-Star week. Even more importantly, I've seen nearly as little discussion of the 2026 MLB Draft. With that in mind, I thought I'd provide a little recap about the Yankees' draft this year.

First, a little background. Unlike the incredibly long 45+ round affair of decades past, the MLB Draft is now 20 rounds long. Each team is assigned a bonus pool based on their draft slots. Teams can sign players above or below their recommended slot numbers, but can only spend 5% above their total slot allotment without incurring penalties. Generally speaking, the Yankees hit that 5% margin on the nose most years.

Given the shortened draft, there are far fewer vanity or nepotism picks than in years' past. That discussion is meaningful to the Yankees this year (as you'll see in a minute). I will not be recapping every single Yankee pick, but I will give you my overarching thoughts and some relevant details about a few of them. Let's get at it:

Overall Thoughts

The Yankees got really good value at the top of the draft. Due to luxury tax penalties, the Yankees have consistently had their first draft pick pushed back into the mid-30s or later the last few years, making it trickier to find impact talent. The Yankees found first round value with each of their first two picks this year, and they managed to find guys with interesting tools throughout the draft.

While the Yankees picked pitchers with their first two picks, the Yankees clearly had a plan: re-stock the position player minor league depth chart. The Yankees have been really thin on position player prospects the last couple of seasons, and they went heavy on position players in the middle of the draft. Interestingly, the Yankees also picked more high school players than I remember them picking in recent seasons.

While I think it's silly to give the team a grade on a group of players who are years away from making an impact, I think the Yankees had a good draft that adds interesting talent to the minor league system in desperate need of more talent.

The Headliners

LHP Hunter Dietz, Round 1

LHP Sean Duncan, Round 2

Dietz is a big lefty with huge stuff and SEC experience. When the Yankees picked Ben Hess a couple of years ago, you had to squint past some ugly numbers in the SEC to understand why the Yankees liked him. There isn't that issue with Dietz; he flashed real dominance in the SEC this year, with a sub-4 ERA and one of the best strikeout rates in the country. Dietz has a short resume due to elbow issues through much of his early college career, stemming from an elbow stress fracture and associated recovery issues. Dietz struggled on the Cape, a showcase for top amateur talent, but he might have been pitching with diminished stuff as he recovered from surgery. Dietz sits in the mid-90s, touching 99 MPH in-game, with an excellent breaking ball. At 6'6", 235, Dietz is imposing on the mound, and throws from a very vertical arm slot that adds deception to his delivery. I expect the Yankees to help him with his arsenal, and he might be a very fast riser through the system, assuming good health. Dietz was a top-15 talent in the draft who dropped due to injury concerns and a short track record. This is a great pick where the Yankees were in the 1st round.

Duncan was one of the best high school arms in the draft, who recently underwent Tommy John Surgery. He's a lanky 6'3", with a low-90s fastball (he's touched 95 MPH) and good secondary offerings. He is very projectable, and is the type of guy who could have real bumps in stuff, assuming he recovers well from TJS. Duncan is committed to Vanderbilt, but the Yankees have historically been able to sign guys away from Vandy. Duncan will almost certainly be an over-slot signing, but Dietz and other Yankee draftees have already signed below-slot deals. I expect Duncan to sign, but with a 16+ month recovery, don't expect to see him until next year.

Finally, Some Catching

Have you looked at the minor league catching depth chart lately? It's...not ideal, and almost entirely made up of journeymen or guys just coming over from the DSL. The Yankees needed some talent injection, and got it:

C Brendan Brock, 3rd Round

C Bear Harrison, 5th Round

If nothing else, they have great names. Brock is a Senior-sign, so he'll sign way under slot in all likelihood. Brock has a fascinating tool for a catcher: he's a true Grade-70 runner. There's pop in his bat and he's athletic behind the plate and in the outfield. Brock might be a really interesting bench piece long-term, maybe more if he can find some hit tool.

Harrison is a patience and power bat at the plate with a good feel for receiving behind it. Both guys might struggle against velocity at the next level, but both are good bets to stick behind the plate.

Nepotism? I Think Not

DH/P Luke Pettitte, 8th Round

Cool story: As most of you know, I go to Cape Cod every summer and watch some Cape League games, specifically to see the Orleans Firebirds. Pettitte was on the roster last summer, and I was so excited to see him pitch (and maybe even see his old man in the crowd). Pettitte was gone before I got there, and I always wondered why. Well, now we know: he needed Tommy John Surgery. While recovering, he decided to DH this season at Dallas Baptist, and put himself on the prospect map as a hitter as well.

Pettitte is interesting regardless of his father's historic Yankee career. He's advanced on the mound, with decent stuff and good command. At the plate, he's got real pop and plenty of room to develop. The Yankees are going to let him continue as a 2-way player for now. Fun pick, and not a waste!

Tough Signing

A pick I liked a lot, but I think will be a tough guy to sign:

3B Andrew Gonzalez, 6th Round

Gonzalez is committed to Texas Tech, but he has some really interesting tools. Good arm, decent hands, and plenty of room to continue filling out and developing. He's got a powerful swing from the left-side also, so you can understand the appeal in pinstripes. I think it will take a very over-slot deal for Gonzalez to sign.