Yankees 2026 11th-round draft pick and left-handed-hitting shortstop Anthony Potestio has quickly made a name for himself in his professional debut this year. Potestio was selected 338th overall out of UC San Diego in this year’s MLB Draft. Baseball America writer Carlos Callazo even described Potestio the other day as possibly being “the best overall debut player in this draft class,” Callazo stated. When looking at Potestio’s numbers in Low A Tampa, it’s easy to see why.
In 19 games (57 at-bats) for Low-A Tampa, Potestio has hit .333 with 5 home runs, 17 RBIs, 19 walks, and a 1.179 OPS, with a .513 OBP. Callazo said Potestio is a high-contact bat who has shown more power than expected in professional baseball so far. Callazo also said Potestio doesn’t chase much and has great strike zone awareness, which was evident during his days at UC San Diego.
Potestio Could Possibly Be Draft Steal
He also mentioned that, based on what he’s heard from other team scouts/exceutives around the league, Potestio could be one of the better selections in this year’s draft after the 10th round, Callazo said. If Potestio keeps up this performance, he will soon be on the Yankees’ top 30 prospects list. At UC San Diego, he was first on the team in batting average (.298) and on-base percentage (.431) and recorded 16 games with multiple hits, as well as a 15-game on-base streak, according to the UC San Diego athletics home page. Potestio is not a big guy, listed at 5’11 195 lbs, but can also be described as a utility player who has experience both as an infielder and outfielder.
He’s currently listed as a shortstop on his minor league baseball player profile. Potestio fits a different mold than the players the Yankees have in the majors. Potestio doesn’t rely much on power and is a high-contact (high-awareness) player who prioritizes contact and getting on base over power. Still, he showed some power with 5 home runs in fewer than 20 games in his pro debut this past summer. How that translates into 2027 and beyond as he rises through the ranks of professional baseball remains to be seen.
Potestio’s Skillset Similar To Yankees Top Prospect
Potestio’s game is similar to that of another infielder who is currently the Yankees’ number-one-ranked prospect: left-handed-hitting shortstop Dax Kilby, who’s also representing the organization in the Arizona Fall League, where the top prospects in baseball perform in this once-a-year showcase. Kilby is also a high-contact guy with great bat-to-ball skills, earning him a promotion to High A Hudson Valley this past year.
It will be interesting to see if Potestio can follow on a similar trajectory as Kilby, who’s already seen success in the Arizona Fall League, in which he has posted a .313 batting average with 1 home run 5 RBI’s and 4 walks in his first four games in the Arizona Fall League already, according to the Arizona Fall League hitting stats home page/website.
Potestio’s growth and development in professional baseball and throughout the Yankees minor league system will be worth monitoring in 2027 and beyond. The Yankees farm system has produced elite talent in recent years, including Ben Rice and Cam Schlittler.
Yankees’ 11th Round Draft Pick Anthony Potestio Is On The Rise