Yankees Predicted to Add Left-Hander With 126 Strikeouts

The New York Yankees hold the 39th overall pick in the 2025 MLB draft due to CBT spending. The Yankees would’ve had the 29th pick, but moved down 10 picks because of it. 

As they approach the draft, the Yankees’ farm system could use some help, and there are multiple ways they could improve it. When searching for who the Yankees might select in the upcoming draft, The Sporting Tribune recently predicted them to take Zach Root, a left-handed pitcher out of Arkansas who started his career at East Carolina. 

“The college arms are mentioned more frequently here than ahead of this, though it would be hard to pass on some of the cost-efficient left-handed power gambles here like Taylor. Josiah Hartshorn is a sleeper with the pinstripes, but probably not here,” they wrote.

East Carolina is one of the better programs in the country, so Roots numbers there are certainly valuable, too. 

However, what Root did in the SEC hitters was impressive this past year for Arkansas, against arguably the best competition in the nation. 

Roots’ Impressive 2025 Campaign

The left-hander posted a 3.62 ERA and struck out 126 hitters in 99.1 innings. When examining his stuff, MLB.com recently noted that he runs his fastball up to 97 mph and has a 60-grade curveball. 

“A year after Arkansas left-hander Hagen Smith went fifth overall in the 2024 Draft, the Razorbacks have another potential first-round southpaw. Root spent his first two college seasons at East Carolina before transferring and succeeding Smith as the Hogs’ Friday-night ace. He has an effective four-pitch mix rather than overpowering stuff but it allowed him to rank fifth in NCAA Division I with 126 strikeouts in 99 1/3 innings and gives him one of the higher floors among college starters.

“Root employs his fastball only about a third of the time, operating at 91-94 mph and reaching 97 with sink that creates ground-ball contact. His most effective offering is an 83-85 mph changeup with fade, and his low-80s curveball gives him a second plus pitch. He topped all D-I pitchers with 51 strikeouts via his curve. His mid-80s cutter/slider is a solid fourth option, and he uses all three of his secondaries at a roughly equal amount,” they wrote.

What Will the Yankees Look to Address in the Draft?

The New York Yankees have a few questions to answer during the draft, but according to ESPN, the biggest one will be centered on how they can improve their farm system, which has the lowest bonus pool in the draft. 

They later added that the Yankees are missing their second-round pick this year because of CBT spending, and named a few possible candidates for them to pursue outside of Root. 

“One big question: With the lowest bonus pool in the draft, can the Yankees replenish the farm system? The Yankees were missing their second- and fifth-round picks in the 2023 draft and are missing their second rounder this year in addition to having their first-round selection moved down 10 picks because of CBT spending…

“Their first pick this year is where we hit the tail end of the 45 FV tier of players in my rankings, meaning there’s some late-first-round-caliber upside still available with high schoolers such as 2B Sean Gamble, CF Slater de Brun and SS Tate Southisene, or one of the college pitchers with some relief risk such as righties Riley Quick, Patrick Forbes and Marcus Phillips,” they wrote.

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