5 Years, 5 Drafts

So for as long as this blog has been up, I've been a staunch follower of the MLB draft. I have issues with minor league baseball's horrid labor practices, MLB's salary/bonus suppression tactics for the draft, and the whole concept of a draft in the first place, but I won't deny that I find myself following it every year anyway.

Obviously I'm a lot more invested in it because a lot of the players who're getting their names called are going to be in Staten Island. If you're a Yankees draft pick plucked out of college there's a 90+% chance you're going to Staten Island.

I'm also interested in it because we live in an age where you can have baseball cards of players before they even turn pro. I'm sure that's not new at all, but what is new is the scale at which those very cards are readily available. Ryan Cracknell of Beckett reported that 20 of the 32 first rounders in the 2019 MLB Player Draft already had cards available on the market. Once upon a time that would've been crazy! Now? Not so much. If anything I know for a fact that the number gets bigger if you expand it to players beyond the first draft too.

So I wanted to revisit the last five Yankees (sorry, but I don't have the willpower to do all 30 teams), drafts and see how many players had cards before being drafted. I kind of already know the answer to most of these because this has been my wheelhouse for years, but I figure it'd make for a fun-ish topic.

2014

Player: Austin DeCarr

Product: 2013 Leaf Perfect Game

In 2014 only the Yankees' second rounder, Austin DeCarr, had a card before being drafted.

Those of you who aren't in prospecting circles might not even be aware that Leaf releases a set every year devoted to future draftees who participated in the Perfect Game tournaments. I've known about these forever and have always wanted to buy a box (only to be scarred off by the price). This is the ultimate form of "buy now, set aside, and then see what you've got in a few years", in that this set can offer you the first ever trading card of tomorrow's hottest prospects. You can revisit these cards on draft night and be thrilled (or disappointed) that you already owned some of the early picks. Then you can revisit these in the winter and be thrilled (or disappointed) that you already owned some of the game's top prospects. Then you can repeat that cycle one more time to see that you've got some of the best young talent in the game already.

2015

Player: James Kaprielian

Products: 2014 Panini USA & 2015 Panini Stripes & Stars

Former Yankees prospect and former first round selection James Kaprielian had several cards before being drafted. Some from 2014, some more in 2015.

His first cards to hit the market were in the 2014 Panini USA set. He then got more cards in the 2015 Panini Stripes & Stars set. You know, the set P-Town Tom sent me years ago. In the years since these Stripes & Stars set would (along with the aforementioned Perfect Game set) form the core of most, if not all, pre-draft prospecting collections. If you wanted to secure some cards of top tier prospects, these two sets are the way to go.

Player: Kyle Holder

Product: 2014 Choice

Anyway that Cotuit Kettleers card is a bit of a mystery. An interesting one though. One thing that's clear about it is that it was commissioned by Cotuit Athletic Association, as these cards appear to have been made for about a good decade. You can even find an old blogpost written by the Kettleers saying you could order some sets from 2006 to 2010's. I assume these were sold at Cape Cod League games during the seasons. I've heard of other colleges making cards for their players (I remember LSU doing it for a while). Unfortunately 2014 appears to be one of the last sets ever made. I consider myself fortunate that I got the Holder when I did because I feel like my collection is a lot more complete with it than without it.

Scan courtesy of COMC

Player: Drew Finley

Products: 2014 Leaf Metal Draft, 2014 Leaf Perfect Game, 2014 Leaf Trinity, 2014 Leaf Trinity

I could be wrong but I think Finley had the most pre-draft cards out of everybody in the 2015 class. Appearing in a whopping four products before even making his pro debut. Guess that's what happens when you're a highly ranked high school pitching prospect. Most of these are all autographs. Which made getting his autograph before Bowman bothered show up even easier for the impulse buyers who were watching on draft night.

Player: Isiah Gilliam

Products: 2014 Leaf Perfect Game, 2014 Leaf Metal Draft

More Leaf stuff for the Yankees' 20th rounder. I'm still not sure how the Yankees managed to steal Gilliam away from holding out for better draft positions in the future, but they did and the system is much richer for it. Also if you were like me and working on getting an autograph of everybody in the 2015 draft, Gilliam's mere existence was a God-send.

Scan courtesy of COMC

Player: Deacon Liput

Product: 2014 Leaf Perfect game

Yes, I'm including players who were drafted by the Yankees but didn't sign with them. Mainly because these guys can have an interesting second life where they're drafted again and these cards mean so much more later. Liput's a Dodgers prospect now BTW since he was drafted by them in the 10th round of the 2018 MLB Player Draft. Congrats to him.

2016

Player: Blake Rutherford

Products: 2012 Elite Extra Edition, 2012 Panini USA, 2013 Panini USA, 2014 Elite Extra Edition, 2015 Leaf Metal Draft, 2015 Elite Extra Edition, 2015 Panini Stripes & Stars, 2015 Panini USA

Woof, three years worth of products before he even signed his first pro contract. Blake Ruth benefitted/suffered(?) from being in a lot of products by being a talented player who was on the scene from the time he was on the 15-U teams, then stayed there throughout his stint on the 18-U team. By the time the Yankees signed him, he'd signed so many autographs for Panini through the years that his autograph went from a full "Blake" to just the "B". Good on him for making money throughout his teens just by signing autographs though (or at least I hope he got paid for those signatures).

Scan courtesy of COMC

Player: Zach Linginfelter

Product: 2015 Leaf Perfect Game

Linginfelter was a high school pitcher that didn't sign with the Yankees and went to college. But he did have a trading card made of him before draft night. It featured him with elite #restingpitchface. Also he was just drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in the 2019 draft, this time as a ninth rounder. Congrats to him.

Scan courtesy of COMC

Player: Bo Weiss

Product: 2015 Leaf Perfect Game

Bo Weiss the son of former Colorado Rockies manager Walt Weiss and was the Yankees' 29th pick. He didn't sign and went to the University of North Carolina (then transferred to The University of Tampa, where BTW Sam Militello is currently coaching). He was seen as a potential draftee in the 2019 draft but ended up not getting drafted (not even by the Atlanta Braves where Walt Weiss works as a coach now).
BTW, notice that theme of these Leaf Perfect Game guys who pop up later? That's the magic with these pre-draft cards of high school prospects. They have a second chance to be a super cool addition to someone's collection.

Player: Zachary/Zack Hess

Products: 2015 Leaf Perfect Game, 2018 Panini Elite Extra Edition*, 2019 Panini Donruss*, 2019 Panini Stripes & Stars*

Here's a quasi-interesting case. Hess was the Yankees' 35h round draft pick. He was an elite high school arm that was likely going to college due to his high bonus demands, and that's what ended up happening. But prior to the draft he was known as "Zachary" and had some cards released by Leaf. He got some more cards after going to college through Panini's products (mainly as as a collegiate team USA member) and by that point his name was Zack. BTW, the 2018 and 2019 products have asterisks on them because they were only pre-draft cards for Hess in terms of before the 2019 draft. He got drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the seventh round in the 2019 draft BTW. Congrats to him.

Scan courtesy of COMC

Player: Sam Ferri

Products: 2013 Elite Extra Edition, 2013 Panini USA, 2013 Panini Select

Ferri was the Yankees' 38th pick and did not sign. But he did have several cards of him prior to the draft, mainly cards of him as a member of the 15-U team for team USA. He was considered an interesting prospecting going into the 2019 but went undrafted. Though he might reemerge next year as an interesting catching prospect.

2017

Scan courtesy of COMC

Player: Clarke Schmidt

Product: 2013 Leaf Perfect Game

Woof, welcome back old friend. I remember how on draft night I thought about splurging on a 10 card lot of this very Schmidt card but after I saw that he was going to be out for all of 2017, I decided against it. It proved to be the right move because I got his Bowman cards for cheaper and they were ready by the time he came to Staten Island in 2018.

Player: Matt Sauer

Product: 2015 Panini USA, 2016 Perfect Game

Truth be told I'd completely forgotten he had these pre-draft cards. They've disappeared from COMC and eBay.

Player: Glenn Otto

Products: 2016 Elite Extra Edition, 2017 Panini USA, 2017 Panini Donruss

Otto was a welcome sight in that he had a ton of team USA stuff before he signed with the Yankees. Most of which as a member of the collegiate ranks.

Scan Courtesy of COMC

Player: Pat DeMarco

Products: 2016 Leaf Perfect Game

The 2017 was all about manipulating the draft pool to sign Matt Sauer, as such guys like DeMarco were a reach from the start, but interesting at least. The toolsy outfielder had a Perfect Game card before draft night and he went to Vanderbilt. Though that card would go on to have a chance to shine again one day. More on that in a bit...

Scan Courtesy of COMC

Player: Shane Roberts

Product: 2016 Leaf Perfect Game

Okay I think I've hammered the point home now about how Leaf's Perfect Game stuff and Panini's Team USA stuff reign supreme. He didn't sign with the Yankees BTW.

Scan Courtesy of COMC

Player: Jacob Stevens

Product: 2014 Leaf Perfect Game

No Stevens didn't sign with the Yankees.

Scan Courtesy of COMC

Player: Jordan Butler

Products: 2013 Elite Extra Edition, 2013 Panini USA, 2013 Panini Select, 2015 Panini USA, 2015 Elite Extra Edition, 2016 Leaf Perfect Game, 2016 Elite Extra Edition, 2017 Panini USA

Woof, another notable guy like Blake Ruth who signed his way through most of his teens to a paycheck. Nice! Though he didn't sign a pro contract.

Player: Steven Williams

Products: 2014 Panini USA, 2015 Panini Stripes & Stars, 2016 Leaf Perfect Game

Perfect, a combination of Panini USA AND Leaf Perfect Game. Again, no contract was agreed upon with NYY.

Scan Courtesy of COMC

Player: Tanner Burns

Products: 2016 Leaf Perfect Game, 2016 Leaf Trinity

Burns declined the Yankees' offer and would go on to get some more USA cards in 2018 BTW.

2018

Player: Anthony Seigler

Products: 2017 Leaf Perfect Game, 2017 Elite Extra Edition, 2018 Panini USA, 2018 Panini Stars & Stripes

I loved the Seigler pick so much that I went out and got his USA autograph BEFORE he was drafted. That's how much I liked that pick. I would've picked up his PG stuff too but that stuff was hit HARD by the Yankees first rounder tax.

*No picture exists, as of now*

Player: Josh Breaux

Product: 2018 JUCO

This is the biggest mystery to me because this was another college set released exclusively for JUCO. Breaux was a member of McLennan Community College. I remember there being one set of this on eBay prior to him signing with the Yankees, then it got sold and disappeared forever. But I do know it exists.

Player: Ryder Green

Product: 2015 Panini USA, 2015 Elite Extra Edition, 2017 Leaf Perfect Game

Green had a lot of autographs prior to getting drafted, another Panini USA and Leaf Perfect Game hybrid to boot.

Scan Courtesy of COMC

Player: Blakely Brown

Product: 2014 Leaf Perfect Game

Woah, a post-20th round pick with cards that DID sign with the Yankees?!

Scan courtesy of COMC

Player: Patrick Winkel

Product: 2017 Leaf Perfect Game

Though Winkel here didn't sign and fulfilled his commitment with UConn.

Scan courtesy of COMC

Player: Austin Wells

Products: 2017 Leaf Perfect Game, 2017 Panini Stripes & Stars

Wells didn't sign and went to the University of Arizona instead. Sidenote, he's one of the many players mentioned so far who only have autograph cards on the market. Hmm, in retrospect maybe I should've made a note of that.

Scan courtesy of COMC

Player: Jack Anderson

Product: 2017 Leaf Perfect Game

Reach pick that the Yankees knew they weren't going to sign. Expect him to be a relevant name again one day folks.

Scan courtesy of COMC

Player: Landon Marceaux

Products: 2017 Leaf Perfect Game, 2017 Elite Extra Edition, 2018 Panini USA, 2018 Stripes & Stars

Marceaux passed on the Yankees and went to LSU. I'd be somewhat surprised if he doesn't get drafted again in the 2020 or 2021 draft.

Scan courtesy of COMC

Player: Brady Allen

Product: 2017 Leaf Perfect Game

Truth be told, I had no idea the non-signed draftees had this many cards. This post would be MUCH shorter if this post was limited to the players that did sign on with the Yankees. Though it illustrates my point of just how much pre-draft prospect stuff is out there.

2019

Player: Anthony Volpe

Product: 2016 Elite Extra Edition, 2017 Panini USA, 2017 Panini Stripes & Stars, 2018 Leaf Perfect Game, 2018 Panini Stripes & Stars

Okay the point is made loud and clear. If you're in a Panini Stripes & Stars set, you have a 80% chance of being a first round draft pick by the Yankees.

Player: Josh Smith

Product: 2015 Leaf Perfect Game

Yup, even stuff from 2015 is still relevant in 2019.

Player: Jake Agnos

Product: 2018 Elite Extra Edition, 2019 Panini Donruss, 2019 Stripes & Stars

Like Seigler, this one was one of the few cards I had in my possession BEFORE he was drafted!

Scan courtesy of COMC

Player: Kevin Milam

Product: 2015 Leaf Perfect Game

Another 2015 PG card, courtesy of the Yankees trying to pool all of their money towards Volpe.

Scan courtesy of COMC

Player: Pat DeMarco

Product: 2016 Leaf Perfect Game

Told you he'd show up again. Drafted twice by the Yankees! Maybe this time NYY lands him?

Player: Jack Leiter

Product: 2018 Leaf Perfect Game, 2019 Stripes & Stars

Another one I had before he got drafted. Al's son has already stated that he's going to Vanderbilt.

Scan courtesy of COMC

Player: Zachary Maxwell

Product: 2018 Leaf Perfect Game

High-end high school arm headed for college. I'd be surprised if he signed with the Yankees.

Scan courtesy of COMC

Player: Bryce Jarvis

Product: 2016 Leaf Perfect Game

College arm, he might sign? I dunno.

-- You've reached the end --

And that's it!

Woof, finally done.

I think you all get my point. Five years ago we only had one player with a card pre-draft. Fast forward to 2019 and you can somewhat expect five of the players the Yankees draft to already have cards. I suspect that other teams will have similar patterns if you studied them.

Also, if you want to stay ahead of the draft without having to keep up with high school/collegiate athletics, just open Leaf Perfect Game and Panini Team USA stuff. Though at this point I don't recommend opening anything older than 2016 as it looks like the 2012-2015 classes have either graduated to prospect status or flamed out.