Yankees 2012 1st round draft pick: Ty Hensley

With their first pick in the 2012 1st-year player draft, the Yankees selected right handed pitcher Ty Hensley out of Edmond Santa Fe High School in Oklahoma with the 30th overall pick.

Hensley is big and projectable at 6-foot-4, 220-pounds who has been compared to Phil Hughes physically. His fastball sits at 93-94 mph with his fastball and occasionally touches 98 with it. He has good mechanics and a strong curveball which made him stand out as a first rounder. He started out as a position player before being transitioned to the mound so there is still room for improvement.

Hensley was expected to go at least 10 rounds earlier in the draft and has signed a letter of intent with Ole Miss. The expectation is that the Yankees will be able to sign him though. He was ranked No. 23 overall by Baseball America before the draft.

Here is what John Sickels of Baseball Nation had to say about him:

Hensley is a prototypical hard-throwing high schooler with a 92-96 MPH heater and a plus curveball. He needs innings to refine his changeup and his command, but his upside is as high as any of the other prep pitchers not named Giolito. He is committed to the University of Mississippi but should be signable here. The Yankees have gone against consensus with their early selections in recent drafts, but Hensley is a perfect fit here and was under consideration by teams 10-15 spots higher than this. His father Mike was a minor league player, so he has baseball in his blood. He is a strong overall athlete who is also a prospect as a hitter. He also has background as a quarterback, demonstrating some leadership skills on the field. Overall, he’s a good risk as high school pitchers go.

Here is a video of him from last summer:

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