Yankees Select 6'6" LHP Hunter Dietz 35Th Overall in Draft

WHO:

MLB.com - Hunter Dietz, a left-handed pitcher from the University of Arkansas, was selected by the New York Yankees.

NY Post - The Yankees are a Major League Baseball team.

WHAT:

MLB.com - The Yankees selected Hunter Dietz with the 35th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft.

MLB.com - Dietz was ranked as MLB Pipeline’s No. 17 overall prospect for the draft.

MLB.com - Dietz finished the 2026 season with a 3.57 ERA, 131 strikeouts, and 31 walks over 85 2/3 innings.

NY Post - The Yankees have not selected in the top half of the draft since 1993 and have not had a pick in the teens since 2017.

WHERE:

MLB.com - The selection took place during the 2026 MLB Draft, which is held in New York.

WHEN:

MLB.com - The 2026 MLB Draft occurred on July 11 and July 12, 2026.

WHY:

MLB.com - The Yankees believe in their ability to develop pitchers and keep them healthy, making Dietz a compelling choice.

MLB.com - Dietz's selection was influenced by his performance in fall practice and his potential as a premier college pitching prospect.

HOW:

MLB.com - Dietz underwent elbow surgery in the fall of 2023 to repair a fracture in his left ulna and faced a setback in 2024 that sidelined him for 13 months.

MLB.com - Dietz's fastball sits in the mid-90s and can touch 98 mph, with a high three-quarters arm slot and an unusually high release height of 6.7 feet.

In a significant move during the 2026 MLB Draft held in New York, the New York Yankees selected Hunter Dietz, a left-handed pitcher from the University of Arkansas, with the 35th overall pick. Ranked as MLB Pipeline’s No. 17 overall prospect, Dietz finished the 2026 season with an impressive 3.57 ERA, 131 strikeouts, and 31 walks over 85 and two-thirds innings, showcasing his potential as a premier college pitching prospect. Despite undergoing elbow surgery in the fall of 2023 and facing a setback that sidelined him for 13 months, Dietz's fastball can reach the mid-90s and even touch 98 mph, making him a compelling choice for the Yankees, who have not selected in the top half of the draft since 1993.