
Yankees 2012 draftees making noise
Second-round pick Austin Aune made his first professional start for the rookie-level GCL Yankees on Tuesday, and the shortstop went 1-for-2 with an RBI in the team’s 10-3 win over the GCL Tigers – a win that ran the Yankees’ GCL-best record to 7-1 in the early goings of that season.
Nearly 1000 miles north in Staten Island, eighth-round pick Taylor Dugas and 33rd-rounder Saxon Butler have been the hitting stars for the Short-Season Class-A Yankees through the first 10 days of the New York-Penn League campaign. Through Tuesday’s win over Aberdeen, Dugas was 7-for-16 (.438) with three RBI, while Butler is 10-for-26 (.385) with two homers, five doubles, and seven RBI.
In addition to the hitting stars, both seventh-round pick Taylor Garrison and ninth-rounder Derek Varnadore have pitched well out of the bullpen for Staten Island so far. Garrison, a righty out of Fresno State, has allowed just one earned run and struck out five in five innings through Tuesday, while Auburn product Varnadore has allowed just two runs in 7.2 innings pitched.
Meanwhile, on Monday, fifth-round pick Rob Refsnyder was named the College World Series MVP as his University of Arizona squad won the National Championship. The second baseman, who has yet to sign, went 10-for-21 (.476) with five RBI, six runs scored, and a pair of stolen bases in six CWS games while leading the Wildcats to the National Title.
Refsnyder is one of only two of the Yankees’ Top 15 picks to remain unsigned, as the team agreed to deals with University of Miami catcher Peter O’Brien (Rd. 2), Bradford (WI) HS outfielder Nathan Mikolas (Rd. 3), and Faulkner University RHP Corey Black (Rd. 4) on Friday.
The additions of O’Brien, Mikolas, and Black mean that the Yankees now have 20 of their 2012 draftees under contract, including 13 of the Top 15 and 16 of the Top 20.
Follow Lou DiPietro on Twitter: @LouDiPietroYES
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