MLB Draft: 1st-Round Picks That Would Be a Home Run for Yankees

Youth is always an issue with the New York Yankees.

With the 2012 MLB draft rapidly approaching, NY will have an opportunity to bolster their farm system and potentially inject some much-needed youth into their major league roster. Here are five prospects that the Yankees should be excited to walk away with on draft day.

5. Victor Roache (OF)

You can never have too many outfielders. Roache is a power hitter and the Yankees haven’t shied away from accumulating a couple of those over the years at the position. Two out of their top four outfielders are older than 35 and the other pair is over 30.

4. Joey Gallo (3B)

Alex Rodriguez is 36 years old and his decline has begun. While Dante Bichette Jr. is an option to eventually replace A-Rod, he’s anything but a guaranteed success. Gallo would provide some much-needed competition at the position.

3. Brian Johnson (LHP)

Like the outfield, you can never have too many pitchers. While the Yankees are waiting for Manny Banuelos and Dellin Betances to come around, it’d be wise to add another arm to the mix. He’s a college pitcher so they wouldn’t necessarily have to wait as long for him to develop.

2. Tyler Naquin (OF)

According to MLB.com, Naquin arguably possesses the strongest arm out of any outfielder in the entire 2012 draft class. He’s a phenomenal base runner and proven hitter as well. And outside of Mason Williams, New York’s farm isn’t exactly loaded in the outfield.

1. Ty Hensley (RHP)

Hensley will turn 19 years old in July, so if the Yankees draft him, don’t expect to hear his name for several years. The 6’4”, 220-pounder is loaded with potential, though, to the point that if he’s still on the board, they’d be nuts to not pull the trigger. Hensley’s raw, but he has all the tools to develop into a solid starting pitcher.

David Daniels is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report and a syndicated writer.

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