Ben Hess

Analysis
The Yankees selected Hess with the 26th pick in the 2024 First-Year Player Draft, and he has logged 20 starts and 92.1 innings thus far in his first pro season. Hess, who was promoted from High-A Hudson Valley to Double-A on Aug. 5, has a strong 33.2 percent strikeout rate on the year, but his 11.3 percent walk rate is a tad high. Hess has a couple plus pitches in his mid-90s fastball and mid-70s curveball, while his slider and changeup lag behind. He should spend the bulk of 2026 at Triple-A, but a summer promotion to the big leagues is in play if Hess picks up where he left off this season.