MLB Draft 2018: Did Yankees hit on Anthony Seigler, Josh Breaux? Draft class analysis

The Yankees selected high school catcher Anthony Seigler with their first round pick in the 2018 MLB Draft on Monday, June 4, 2018 (6/4/18). They selected another catcher in the second round: Josh Breaux. Overall, GM Brian Cashman and director of amateur scouting Damon Oppenheimer added 40 players to the Yankees’ system.

The Yankees added 40 players to the organization this week during the 2018 MLB Draft.

GM Brian Cashman and director of amateur scouting Damon Oppenheimer took a pair of catchers with their top two picks: 18-year-old high school backstop Anthony Seigler from Cartersville, Ga. in the first round and 20-year old Josh Breaux out of McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas in the second round.

Overall, the Yankees selected 31 players out of college and nine players out of high school.

They took 24 pitchers (21 of whom are right-handed), six catchers, six infielders and four outfielders.

Everything to know about Anthony Seigler

ESPN Senior Writer Keith Law breaks down the Yankees draft class:

The Yankees led off their draft with two catchers, one from high school and one from junior college, which, no, I don’t think means anything specific about the future of Gary Sanchez. Anthony Seigler (1) is a switch-hitting, switch-pitching catcher from Cartersville, Georgia, out of the same high school that gifted Donavan Tate to the baseball world. Seigler was the best prep catcher in the class, with a plus arm, good receiving skills and solid swings from both sides of the plate. His power is below average, although it could come in time. Prep catchers are incredibly risky as a class, but bearing that in mind, Seigler projects as an everyday catcher with All-Star upside.

Josh Breaux (2) is the juco catcher I mentioned and missed a little time this spring with elbow trouble. He’s a bat-first prospect with power upside but a below-average receiver who does have arm strength when healthy. He may simply hit enough that the receiving question fades into the background. Ryder Green (3) has posted some huge exit velocity numbers, so it makes sense that the Yanks would be on him. His swing is long thanks to a deep load, and he’s an above-average runner who’ll probably move to an outfield corner in the long run. He’s committed to Vanderbilt.

North Florida right-hander Frank German (4) works with a fastball at 90-96 mph that had very good TrackMan attributes and an average slider, and he never walks anyone, with just 14 free passes in 91 1/3 innings this spring (4 percent of total batters faced). He missed the fall with elbow soreness. Troy center fielder Brandon Lockridge (5) has a huge hitch and swings like he’s holding a hatchet. He’s a plus-plus runner who stole 25 bases in 28 attempts this spring, certainly running well enough for center, but that swing and some mediocre results at school point toward an extra OF ceiling. UNC right-hander Rodney Hutchison (6) is a sidearmer and potential righty specialist, touching 91 and sweeping two kinds of breaking balls away from right-handed batters. The Yanks took college seniors with their next four picks, as Green in particular is probably an over-slot deal in the third.

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