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The New York Yankees are rarely a team that comes into the draft with a premier pick. If you were to search the last time they even had a pick within the top 15, you'd have to go all the way back to 1992, when they had the No. 6 pick, which they took Derek Jeter.
So, the team has had to be pretty creative over the years during the draft, and this year will be no different. With the luxury tax hit, the Yankees don't have an actual pick in the first round; instead, they will be drafting their first player at No. 35.
Obviously, this is not ideal, but there will be some elite talent to choose from, and it's not like the team hasn't hit in a similar spot, taking Aaron Judge with the No. 32 pick back in 2013.
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Analyst urges the Yankees to 'be opportunistic' in this year's draft
It's going to be tough for the Yankees to come into the draft with any sort of direction. There's no telling who will be left when it's their time to draft.
Typically, this is a spot where teams take a shot on high school talent, and that may be the best plan, as Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer urges the Yankees to "be opportunistic" with their pick.
"One of the problems with always being good is that it means low draft picks and small bonus pools. And so it goes for Brian Cashman, who'll only have the No. 63 and No. 99 picks after making the No. 35 selection. Maybe he'll get lucky and find another Aaron Judge, who was only a No. 32 pick back in 2013. Failing that, the No. 35 pick might best be used on a high schooler who falls due to signability concerns, but who could be swayed by the aura of the Bronx Bombers."
Someone like Bo Lowrance could fall and be swayed by the Yankees. He's likely to shift to third base at the next level and has a smooth left-handed swing that performed well on the showcase circuit.
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