{"id":33787,"date":"2025-03-17T07:31:11","date_gmt":"2025-03-17T07:31:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=33787"},"modified":"2025-03-17T07:31:11","modified_gmt":"2025-03-17T07:31:11","slug":"breaking-yankees-top-draft-pick-with-monster-stuff-impresses-in-pro-debut","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=33787","title":{"rendered":"BREAKING: Yankees top draft pick with \u2018monster\u2019 stuff impresses in pro debut"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Yankees top pitching prospect Ben Hess made his unofficial pro debut in Saturday night’s Spring Breakout game.Somerset Patriots<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

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Saturday night\u2019s\u00a0Spring Breakout game\u00a0will go down as the unofficial beginning to the career of a pitcher who could be the\u00a0Yankees\u2019 next homegrown ace.<\/p>\n

Right-hander\u00a0Ben Hess, the Yankees\u2019 first-round selection in last year\u2019s MLB draft, pitched two innings in relief against the Orioles. He struck out three and walked one, giving up two hits and one earned run.<\/p>\n

Hess has been throwing in scrimmages and intrasquads behind the scenes since last summer, refining his arsenal. Saturday night marked the first time he\u2019s pitched in a Yankees uniform against hitters from another team.<\/p>\n

To say the Yankees are excited about what this right-hander and his potential would be an understatement.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis ceiling is a top of the rotation starter,\u201d Yankees director of pitching Sam Briend told NJ Advance Media before the loss to Baltimore at Ed Smith Stadium. \u201cPhysically, he\u2019s maturing. Mentally, he\u2019s starting to learn the game even more and get exposed to these situations. With the weapons he has, he\u2019s a guy you look at as a future number one or two.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Hess, 22, pitched collegiately at Alabama. The Yankees picked him in the draft with the 26th overall selection, the first of seven pitchers selected in a row to kick off that draft class. He\u2019s now ranked as the Yankees\u2019 No. 1 pitching prospect \u2014 fourth overall in the system \u2014 by both\u00a0MLB Pipeline\u00a0and\u00a0Baseball America.<\/p>\n

\u201cI go at hitters,\u201d Hess said, giving his own scouting report. \u201cI\u2019ve got a good fastball so I\u2019m never afraid to use that. I wouldn\u2019t say I\u2019m trying to go out there and paint the corners. I\u2019m just going right at guys.\u201d<\/p>\n

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