​Cole Prosek could emerge as the latest name Yankees fans need to learn by Saturday afternoon. Baseball America’s final mock draft has New York selecting the Mississippi high school infielder with the 35th overall pick, and the reasoning behind that projection says almost as much about the Yankees’ draft philosophy as it does about Prosek himself. New York’s competitive-balance tax penalties pushed its first pick down 10 spots, from 25 to 35, forcing the organization to seek value deeper in the round than usual. That wrinkle could influence who’s still available when the Yankees’ turn comes, and it aligns with an organizational need for depth at catcher and third base, positions where Prosek has some relevant experience.
Prosek, a left-handed hitter from Magnolia Heights High School in Senatobia, Mississippi, is a third baseman with catching experience who has committed to Ole Miss. Baseball America’s final 2026 mock has New York taking him at No. 35, with industry scouts believing his bat could push him well above that slot, potentially into the range where Baseball America projects Bo Lowrance going at No. 21. That kind of assessment matches what Prosek showed all spring. He was named Prep Baseball Mississippi’s Player of the Year after hitting .585 with 79 RBIs and 18 home runs in his senior season, while also posting a 3.16 ERA as a two-way pitcher for a state-title team. He also earned MVP honors at the 2025 Perfect Game All-American Classic, reinforcing his standing on the summer showcase circuit.
MLB Pipeline grades Prosek’s hit tool at 60 with 50-grade raw power, describing him as a quick, compact left-handed swinger who profiles as a safer offensive bet than some of his more physically gifted Mississippi peers. “Prosek isn’t as tooled up as fellow Mississippi prep prospects Eric Booth and Kevin Roberts Jr.,” the scouting report states, per MLB Pipeline, “but he’s a better hitter than either of them and one of the most advanced bats in the entire high school class.”
Defense is where the concerns lie. Prosek is a below-average runner with limited lateral range, which nudges his long-term home toward third base rather than the middle infield, and his catching work this spring adds more development time without guaranteeing that it pays off. ESPN draft analyst Kiley McDaniel still views the bet favorably, framing Prosek as a hitter first and a defender second: “Prosek is an advanced hitter with 25-homer upside from the left side,” McDaniel wrote, as quoted by ESPN. “He’ll be 19 years old on draft day, a clear no-go for some teams, but the Yankees aren’t one of those teams.”
That patience with age and physical projection has become a pattern for New York. Prosek would mark the third prep player the Yankees have drafted in recent years, reflecting the franchise’s willingness to roll the dice on talented teens who might take longer to develop but carry high upside.