On swagger alone, New York Yankees fans can find plenty to love about Ben Hess.
And if the 22-year-old right-hander’s first two professional starts are any indication, that love for New York’s No. 1 draft pick (26th overall) in the 2024 draft could reach all-time levels.
A University of Alabama product, Hess has been nearly perfect through his first 9.2 innings with High-A Hudson Valley, allowing one unearned run on five hits, with 18 strikeouts and just three walks. Hess earned his first win as a pro in the most recent start April 12, lasting 5 innings of scoreless ball, with three hits, nine strikeouts and two walks. His debut had Mike Ashmore, who covers the Yankees for Baseball America, touting Hess as “legit.”
“Seen it for two starts now, Ben Hess is the real deal. 57 pitches/42 strikes gets him through four innings,” Ashmore posted on X (formerly Twitter). “One unearned run, no walks, 8 K’s. Gets ahead, pounds the zone, throws multiple pitches for consistent strikes.”
Ben Hess Impresses in First Starts With High-A Hudson Valley
In a piece for Baseball America, Mark Chiarelli analyzed the early starts for 18 minor league players, and he placed Hess under the “Ready For a New Level?” section, stating that Hess “hasn’t had any issues” with the competition at the High-A level.
“He’s a big man at 6-foot-5, 255 pounds with a big mid-90s fastball and plenty of extension. That was mostly all he needed in his most recent appearance against Wilmington. Hess showed two distinct breaking balls in that outing—he had much better command of his curveball in cold conditions—along with a changeup. If the strike-throwing holds, he could soon be ready for the upper minors.”
But it’s more than just the skills on the mound. Adam Weinrib of FanSided said fans of the Yankees fans are going to eat up the confidence that exudes from the team’s No. 3 prospect. Weinrib shared a post on X by Ashmore following Hess’ latest start, which included Hess’ response to a question about how high he believes he can rise.
“I think top of the rotation starter,” Hess told Ashmore. “If you don’t say that about yourself and you’re a starter, there’s something wrong. I’m confident I can be an ace for any big league team, and I’m confident I can be an ace for the Yankees, which is not just any big league team.”
Ben Hess Carries Affinity for Striking Out Batters Into Pro Career
It would have seemed like a stretch to suggest Hess could be so dominant so quickly heading into the draft last summer. As a junior in 2024, his last season at Alabama, Hess went 5-5 with a 5.80 ERA, allowing 60 hits and 35 walks in 68.1 innings.
However, Hess struck out 106 batters during that season, a K/9 average of 14.0, and he has carried that over, while significantly cutting down on the walks.
“We can’t wait to see Hess continue to hurtle forward, undeterred by his pre-draft doubters,” Weinrib wrote. “A pick’s not a stretch if the player believes hard enough in chasing his own phantom ceiling.”
Yankees Hot Prospect Has Skills to Support His Swagger