​After a long couple of days, the 2026 MLB Draft is finally approaching its conclusion, with three dozen selections already in the books and five rounds remaining for teams to add to their rosters. The league’s 30 franchises have combed through the amateur ranks, calling out hundreds of names, and the Yankees are betting they’ve unearthed a compelling new generation of Baby Bombers with their Day 1 and Day 2 picks. They opened strong on the first day by targeting a couple of promising young hitters and college arms, and through the second day they’ve continued to mix their focus between prep bats, college hitters, and college pitchers. As we near the finish line, stay with us to follow the Yankees as they work through picks for rounds 16 through 20.
Round 16, Pick 488: Garrett Ahern, RHP, Grand Canyon, 6’5”, 195 lbs. We’re back in action and the Yankees have selected pitcher Garrett Ahern from Grand Canyon. Ahern is a tall, lean right-hander who has shown an ability to miss bats, though his college résumé includes a higher-than-desired runs-allowed figure. Over his collegiate career, Ahern posted a 6.02 ERA across 145 innings, while compiling 145 strikeouts and 58 walks. Observers with college baseball insight noted that Ahern sits in the 91-93 mph range from a sidearm delivery, a delivery that can create deception for hitters. There are questions about his run prevention in the college game, but scouts also see upside in his arm action and potential development under professional coaching. It’s been reported that Ahern transferred to Arizona from Grand Canyon, which indicates a willingness to pursue new opportunities and perhaps a different coaching environment. For the Yankees, he represents a project-style pick with a path to refinement, especially if they can convince him to sign and invest in his future at the professional level.
Round 17, Round 18, Round 19, Round 20. As the draft moves into rounds 17 through 20, the emphasis for the Yankees will be to balance upside with practicality, continuing to mix prep talent with college players who can contribute at the upper levels down the line. These rounds are often where teams push for late-blooming arms, projectable bats, and athletes who fit specific organizational needs, while still maximizing value relative to their draft position. With five rounds left in the 2026 MLB Draft, the Yankees will be aiming to identify players who not only possess raw ability but also the demeanor, work ethic, and adaptability required to transition quickly from amateur ranks to the professional pipeline. The goal is to add depth to the system and to cultivate a pipeline that can feed the major-league club in the coming years, whether through immediate contributions or by building a sustainable foundation for the long term.
Stay tuned as we follow the Yankees through rounds 16 to 20, keeping an eye on how these selections align with their stated strategy of cultivating a dynamic, young core and expanding their talent pool across pitching and hitting prospects. The drama of the draft continues to unfold, and every pick has the potential to shape the franchise’s trajectory for years to come.