Why Yankees Have No First-Round Picks

The New York Yankees won't be picking in the first round of the 2025 MLB draft, but not because they don't have any first-round picks.

The Yankees, along with the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets, are being bumped out of the first round of the draft by the league as part of the Competitive Balance Tax (CBT). The tax serves as the MLB's soft salary cap, hoping to discourage teams from spending over a certain threshold. If they do, they're required to pay a tax on every dollar spent above the threshold. Per the MLB Player's Association collective bargaining agreement, the 2025 CBT threshold is $241 million. The CBT varies depending on how many years the team has gone over the amount specified, with larger penalties the more years a team overspends.

In 2025, the Yankees are projected to pay $50,399,817 in CBT, according to SpoTrac. However, that's not the only punishment they're receiving from the league. Despite being awarded the 29th overall 2025 MLB draft pick after losing the 2024 World Series, the Yankees will have that pick bumped 10 spots to number 39, falling out of the first round. This is due to the Pinstripes spending more than $60 million over the CBT threshold.

The Dodgers, who won the World Series and were awarded the 30th pick, and the Mets, who lost the NLCS and got the 28th pick, are in the same situation as the Yankees. All three teams are seeing their picks pushed back due to spending over the $241 million CBT cap. While they still have the picks, those picks have fallen out of the first round of 30.

Prior to 2023, the MLD draft order was determined solely based on record. However, the first six picks are now determined by lottery, with non-playoff teams securing picks 7-12 in reverse order of the prior year's standings and 12 playoff teams receiving picks 19-30 in order of their finish. Should the Yankees, Mets or Dodgers have received one of the first six picks, it would be protected from the punitive measures that moved their existing first round pick back.

The Yankees have been predicted to take a variety different players with the 39th pick, including several right-handed pitchers. They'll make their pick tonight during the first three rounds of the 2025 MLB draft from Atlanta.

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