The New York Yankees dipped into the high school ranks for their first round selection in the 2012 MLB Draft Monday night, selecting right-handed pitcher Ty Hensley out of the state of Oklahoma 30th overall.
John Sickels over at Baseball Nation was kind enough to break down Hensley's game along with every other pick in this year's draft. Like a lot of 6-foot-4, 220-pound 18-year-olds, Hensley needs to work on his command. Sickels says that the youngster has as high a ceiling as almost any other pitcher in the draft, however.
Featuring a workhorse 6-4, 220 pound body, 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.
For more on Hensley and the Yankees, head over to Pinstripe Alley and stay tuned to SB Nation New York. Follow the selections with the SI.com Draft Tracker.