New York Yankees top prospect Blake Rutherford had quite the experience following being drafted by the Bronx Bombers this past June.
With their selection in the first round of the 2016 MLB June amateur draft, the New York Yankees selected outfielder Blake Rutherford out of West Hills, California.
This would become a night to remember for Rutherford, especially considering he grew up a huge fan of the Yankees with Derek Jeter being his role model.
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The left-handed slugger reminisced to this unforgettable night on YES Network’s Yankees Access: Prospects special, where he described how his family and friends erupted into a “Let’s go Yankees” chant after finding out about the selection.
“It was the most exciting thing, and Blake was happier than I’ve ever seen him in his life.” Blake’s mother said when describing their draft night experience.
MLB Pipeline currently ranks Rutherford as the fifth-best prospect in the Yankees system with an estimated big league debut of 2020, so the 19-year old still has some time to go.
The outfielder absolutely dazzled in his first season in the organization, in 33 games split between the Gulf Coast League and Pulaski Yankees, Rutherford slashed .351/.415/.570 with three home runs and 13 RBI’s.
The California-native is currently living out his dream, playing in the organization which he grew up watching and admiring, and even working his way into the club’s future plans.
Even though he still hasn’t played a full season in the majors, he has already made a name for himself due to his five-tool potential with some of the best potential in the entire farm.
It is certainly possible that being on his childhood favorite team could make him even more determined to have a successful career in the big leagues, considering how much the team means to him.
“It didn’t seem real, at the moment. Total elation. Everybody was jumping and screaming and just so happy for him, because they knew what the Yankees meant to Blake.” Tom Costello, Blake’s little league coach said when asked about draft night
There is a significant amount of time before Rutherford makes his debut in the Bronx, but once he does arrive, he could bring his enthusiasm from draft night into a big league ballpark near you.