Yankees MLB Draft 1st Round Picks Since 2000

The MLB First Year Players Draft starts on June 6th on MLB Network with the New York Yankees owning three first round picks in the draft. I wanted to take a look at these picks since the year 2000 and see if it tells us anything on whether we should be optimistic about the picks or should we still be cautious in the biggest crap shoot of a draft in all of sports.

2000

David Parrish - C

2001

John Ford  Griffin - RF

Bronson  Sardinha - SS

Jon Skaggs - RHP

2002

- No 1st Round Pick-

2003

Eric Duncan - 3B

2004

Phil Hughes - RHP

Jeff Marquez - RHP

Jonathan Poterson - C

2005

CJ Henry - SS

2006

Joba Chamberlain - RHP

Ian Kennedy - RHP

2007

Andrew Brackman - RHP

2008

Gerrit Cole - RHP

Jeremy Bleich - LHP

2009

Slade Heathcott - CF

2010

Cito Culver - SS

2011

Dante Bichette Jr. - SS

2012

Ty Hensley - RHP

Let's get the obvious out of the way by saying that the 2009-2012 drafts are obviously still works in progress as every one of the players drafted is still in the lower to mid levels of the Yankees system. Slade Heathcott is in AA with the Trenton Thunder, Cito Culver is in Low A with the Charleston Riverdogs with fellow first rounder Dante Bichette Jr. Ty Hensley is set to miss the entire 2012 season but was playing in Gulf Coast League with the Yankees team there.

Gerrit Cole did not sign in 2008 with the Yankees so we cannot really grade him here but Jeremy Bleich was a complete bust. Jeremy spent six seasons in the Yankees system including missing all of the 2011 season and never made it above AA before flaming out. Andrew Brackman was always considered to be a project with his big tall right handed frame but the project never seemed to be completed as he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds where he was later released. Joba Chamberlain and Ian Kennedy may be the most attractive parts of this series as Joba has turned into a huge part of the Yankees bullpen and Ian Kennedy, although he did it in Arizona after being traded, is a former 20 game winner. CJ Henry was one of those cant miss prospects that was traded in the Bobby Abreu trade that later got released by the Phillies, resigned with the Yankees, only to bust and flame out again for the Yanks. We all know Phil Hughes contributions as a Yankees pitcher, mainly in the middle or back end of the rotation, so I wont spend much time here but let's just say he has been the best starting pitcher we have developed in many years and that may be sad if you think about it. Jeff Marquez bounced around a lot after being released from the Yankees before getting to the majors with the Chicago Whitesox before flaming out again. The rest of the first rounders were complete busts being highlighted by Eric Duncan who was thought to be the next big thing at the hot corner for the Yankees only to fizzle out early.

The MLB draft is, again, the biggest crap shoot in all of sports when it comes to the draft and I think this list only exposes that fact more. The Yankees have had more luck in the later rounds than they have the early rounds in recent memory surprisingly. The Yankees may have three first round picks this season but unless they spend them on very polished four year college pitchers or hitters they expect to fly through the system I would not bank on selling these guys rookie cards as a retirement plan just yet.