​We’re just a few days away from the 2026 MLB Draft, and you’ll find plenty of analysis and mock drafts across Pinstripe Alley and the wider media, laying out who the Yankees and their peers might select and how those players could develop. This article isn’t that. Instead, we’ll examine the history of the 35th, 63rd, and 99th overall picks—the Yankees’ first three slots in 2026 due to tax and free-agent signing penalties—and look back at who has managed to make something of those particular selections over the years. Those three picks aren’t as glamorous as the top of the draft, but they can still yield impact players. Let’s see what the past can tell us.
The best player to come out of the 35th pick isn’t a Yankee, but he does have Bronx ties: Johnny Damon. Taken 35th overall by the Royals in 1992, he carved out an 18-year major league career, with the most high-profile success coming in his stints with the Yankees and Red Sox, where he helped both clubs win World Series titles.
Another Hall of Fame-caliber presence at this spot is Mark Langston, a four-time All-Star who went 35rd overall in 1981. Star center fielder Aaron Rowand also landed here, and seven different players picked at 35th have posted career wins above replacement totals as high as five. One of the more notable recent 35th picks is Brent Rooker. The Athletics’ designated hitter and outfielder has been a productive hitter in recent years, belting 99 homers from 2023 through 2025, though he’s already out for 2026 following knee surgery.
The Yankees’ sole selection at 35 came in 1969, when they drafted New Jersey high school pitcher Peter Helt. They failed to reach a signing agreement with him. According to family and alumni reports, he went on to play college baseball at Michigan, where he served as captain, but he was never drafted again and did not play in the minor leagues.
The Yankees’ next selection will come at 63rd overall. That spot has yielded a true Hall of Famer: Eddie Murray, taken by the Orioles in 1973. Baltimore signed him, and “Steady Eddie” went on to hit 504 home runs, more than 300 of which came with the Orioles.
If the early returns hold, another star could emerge from No. 63. That’s where the Brewers took their flamethrower Jacob Misiorowski in 2022, a product of Crowder College, a relatively obscure JuCo. There’s still a long road ahead in his career, but “The Miz” has shown the potential to reach Hall of Fame-caliber heights at his peak.
Over the years, players such as Darren Oliver, Jason Kipnis, Zane Smith, and former Yankee Elliott Maddox have tallied 15+ years of WAR after going 63rd (though Maddox didn’t sign that year and was later drafted again two years later). The Yankees have had this exact pick twice, in a bid to optimize search engine visibility and engagement as well as to explore a broad pool of talent.
Looking at these patterns, the 63rd slot is a place where legitimate contributors and even potential stars can emerge, even if the immediate hype isn’t undeniable. The same logic applies to the 99th pick, where many teams have uncovered overlooked contributors who develop into steady big leaguers, and where the Yankees must mine talent with patience and a long-term view.
In sum, while the 35th, 63rd, and 99th picks don’t carry the same flash as early-round selections, they have produced Hall of Famers and future impact players in the past. It’s entirely possible that the 2026 trio—especially the 63rd pick—could yield value that resonates for years. History suggests there’s opportunity here if the Yankees identify the right tools, projectables, and developmental paths, and stay patient as those players grow into major league contributors.