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New York Yankees Draft History
All tables below are based on the amount of WAR each player produced during their first seven seasons in Major League Baseball. The WAR totals for each draft class include both Pitching and Hitting WAR, but excludes any player that did not sign with their drafting team. The total WAR also reflects the total value the drafted player provided, not just the value to his drafting team.
*Data accurate through 2019 season.
Top Five Draft Classes
Year
Team
WAR
1990
New York Yankees
61.1
1981
New York Yankees
48.5
2006
New York Yankees
46.5
1979
New York Yankees
39.6
2005
New York Yankees
38.9
Bottom Five Draft Classes
Year
Team
WAR
1985
New York Yankees
-3.2
2007
New York Yankees
-1.6
2000
New York Yankees
-1.5
1999
New York Yankees
-1.4
1983
New York Yankees
-1.4
This list excludes any season past 2010, since those draft classes have a multitude of active players.
Top Five Draft Picks
Year Drafted
Round
Overall Pick
Name
WAR
1990
22
594
Andy Pettitte
30.3
1981
9
233
Fred McGriff
28.8
1979
19
493
Don Mattingly
28.2
1971
3
67
Ron Guidry
28.0
1992
1
6
Derek Jeter
27.3
List made from top five WAR values alone.
Five Biggest Busts
Year Drafted
Round
Overall Pick
Name
WAR
1991
1
1
Brien Taylor
No MLB Experience
1966
1
10
Jim Lyttle
0.6
1969
1
11
Charlie Spikes
0.3
1970
1
12
Dave Cheadle
-0.2
1974
1
12
Dennis Sherrill
0.0
List made from first round picks that produced less than 5.0 WAR in their first seven seasons and ordered by lowest overall pick.
Top Five Value Picks
Year Drafted
Round
Overall Pick
Name
WAR
1990
22
594
Andy Pettitte
30.3
1979
19
493
Don Mattingly
28.2
1995
20
562
Mike Lowell
17.3
1970
30
700
Doc Medich
17.1
1990
24
646
Jorge Posada
14.3
List made from top five WAR values where a player was drafted outside of the first ten rounds.
Top Five Unsigned Draft Picks
Year Drafted
Round
Overall Pick
Name
WAR
1970
3
60
Fred Lynn
30.7
1967
60
925
Steve Rogers
29.8
2008
1
28
Gerrit Cole
29.5
2005
6
199
Doug Fister
18.5
1998
1
43
Mark Prior
17.3
List made from top five WAR values where a player did not sign with the team.