With the signing of Kyle Lohse, the final player to reject a qualifying offer and the last player being linked to draft pick compensation, the 2013 draft order is now finally set. Obviously the competitive balance lottery picks that were added from the new collective bargaining agreement can be traded between now and the summer draft but I can't really see that affecting the Yankees unless they dump someone for a later pick.
The Yankees own three picks in the first 33 slots after losing Rafael Soriano and Nick Swisher to free agency. The Yankees kept their own pick at #26 and received the #32 pick for Nick Swisher and the #33 pick for Rafael Soriano's departure. The Yankees have four picks in the top 66 picks with their second rounder and have five picks in the top 103 picks.
The Yankees are looking at having around $7.3 million in cap space for this years draft including $1.5 million for each of their first three picks in the first 33 slots. The Yankees have the money now to take high end talent that may be a little farther away with the first three picks and take the safer picks that can fly through the system with the second round and beyond picks. We all saw how well the Yankees navigated the draft last year signing big talent for slot money or below and I expect nothing less this year from Brian Cashman and co.
