Yankees Make Notable Draft Picks with MLB Lineage

The recent MLB draft has once again highlighted the strong ties within baseball families, and the Yankees have certainly taken note. They’ve brought on board several players who, it seems, have grown up around the game and are now ready to carve their own paths.

Among these is Kaden Kent, son of former NL MVP Jeff Kent. The Yankees selected him in the third round, with the 103rd overall pick, after observing him during his time at Texas A&M.

Additionally, they also brought in Bryce Martin Grazieranek, whose father Mark had a 15-season career in Major League Baseball, selected in the 20th round while at USC. These connections can be quite significant.

Damon Oppenheimer, the Yankees’ vice president of domestic amateur scouting, shared during a conference call that growing up in a major league environment offers these players a unique advantage. “They have some insight into what it takes to succeed,” he mentioned. This experience, he believes, is incredibly beneficial.

Another interesting pick for the Yankees was George Lombard Jr., their first-round choice in 2023, who is already emerging as a top prospect according to MLB.com. Unsurprisingly, he’s also the son of a former major leaguer.

Interestingly, Oppenheimer only spoke to Jeff Kent once before the draft—an encounter that happened quite randomly while he was scouting Kaden during a game. But it’s clear that the influence of these accomplished fathers is not lost. Brian Sabine, a former Giants GM who advises Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman, is well aware of Jeff Kent’s competitive nature.

Oppenheimer reflected on the experience of meeting the younger players and, well, he seemed to consider their familial ties quite impactful. “It’s like I get to see parts of them that reflect their parents,” he noted.

The Yankees’ top choice also showed an affinity for infield play. They selected high school shortstop Duck Skillbee as their 38th pick, hailing from Newnan High School in Georgia.

Oppenheimer expressed his excitement about these picks, recalling that even in his younger days, he felt a connection to talent that would one day flourish in the league. Among their 19 selections, most of the players were college standouts, particularly pitchers, with ten of them fitting that category.

On a local note, the Yankees also drafted Bronx native Richie Bonoro Jr., an outfielder from Alabama, in the seventh round, adding to their promising list of recruits.