Yankees Top Draft Pick Already Climbing Prospect Boards

The New York Yankees haven't had a high draft pick since the early nineties, so they need to make the most of their selections. They may have made an intriguing pick during last year's draft, when they snagged Dax Kilby at the end of the first round.

Kilby has shot up prospect boards since the draft and is getting recognized by those who make their bones covering prospects. According to the Pitcher List Top Dynasty Prospects for the Yankees, which is more for Fantasy Baseball, Kilby is rated second in the system.

His run in A-Ball raised some eyebrows, according to Jacob Milham. He brings a unique skill set for an 18-year-old who has had his first taste of pro ball.

"Kilby's first taste of affiliated ball in Low-A, plus his fall instructional run, has him climbing prospect rankings," Milham writes for Pitcher List. "The former Clemson commit already looks unusually polished at the plate for his age, pairing strong strike-zone discipline with excellent bat-to-ball skills. According to Prospect Savant (highly suggest bookmarking that site), Kilby stood out as a true outlier with an 11.11% chase rate (98th percentile) and a 15% whiff rate (94th percentile). Add in league-topping speed and a 104.2 mph EV90, and you can see why dynasty managers are suddenly paying attention."

Yankees First Round Pick Dax Kilb — Jul 1, 2024; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Newnan High School infielder Dax Kilby during the Perfect Game National Showcase high school baseball game at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Kilby is the seventh overall Yankee prospect according to MLB Pipeline and third on Baseball America. Specifically for Pitcher List, though, Milham has him over some of the bigger names, such as Spencer Jones, who is fifth, and Ben Hess, whose name keeps coming up in trade talks and was their first overall pick the year before Kilby's draft.

Barring health, it looks like Kilby will shoot up prospect boards even further with another strong year. In just 18 games and 81 plate appearances last year, Kilby hit .353/.457/.441 with a 159 wRC+. He didn't hit a home run, but he had 16 stolen bases to his name. He also exhibited a good eye at the plate, sporting a 16% walk rate.

At some point, Kilby may garner some attention in trade talks. If he's anything like how they valued other top shortstop prospects in George Lombard Jr., Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza, they may just hold on to him.

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