Yanks Select Gerrit Cole in the 1st Round

From SNY.TV:

The New York Yankees selected right-hander Gerrit Cole with their first-round pick in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft, using the 28th overall pick on the hard-throwing hurler from Orange Lutheran High School in Orange, Calif.

Cole, 18, has been clocked upwards of 97 mph with his four-seam fastball and has drawn comparisons to current Yankees right-hander Phil Hughes -- also a product of southern California -- as a top high school prospect.

Also throwing a slider and changeup, Cole is a projectable hurler who is represented by the Scott Boras Corporation. He had committed to UCLA for the 2009 college season, and could see his future development either as a starter or as a closer.

Here's what Baseball America had to say about Cole (hat tip to Steve Lombardi over at WasWatching.com):

Cole is the best righthander out of Southern California since Phil Hughes starred at Santa Ana's Foothills High in 2004. Cole's four-seam fastball ranges from 93-96 mph, occasionally peaking at 97-98. He adds a hard, late-breaking curve which shows bite, tilt and depth. Cole used his changeup sparingly early in the season, though he used it more later. Adding to Cole's considerable appeal to scouts is his tall, lanky and projectable frame, which is nearly ideal for a prep righthander. Scouts are split over whether Cole profiles as a starter or closer. He maintains velocity and pitch movement deep into games, but his inconsistent command and tendency to run up high pitch counts may move him to the bullpen. Some scouts have compared him to Mariners closer J.J. Putz. Cole does bring mechanical concerns. He lands on a stiff front leg, and he recoils his arm during his follow-through. Both hurt control and raise injury concerns. Complicating the situation, Cole's adviser is the Scott Boras Corp., which may eliminate many clubs from consideration. Cole also hasn't endeared himself to scouts or teammates with what one scout described as his immature mound demeanor.

Here's some video of Gerrit Cole from ESPN:
In the second round (44th pick overall) the Yankees picked Jeremy Bleich. Bleich is a left-handed pitcher from Stanford. Here's his BaseballCube page, and here's his scouting video from MLB.com.

Updates will be posted as they come. The next pick for the Yanks will be at no. 75.

Updated 6:59 PM: With the 75th pick the Yankees selected Scott Bittle, a right-hand pitcher out of the University of Mississippi. Here's his Baseballcube page, and here's his scouting video from MLB.com.

Updated 7:40 PM: The Yanks selected David Adams, a 2B from the University of Virginia with the 106th pick. Here's his scouting video from MLB.com. and his Baseballcube page.

Updated 8:03 PM: The Yanks selected Corban Joseph, a SS from Franklin Highschool in Tennessee with the 140th pick. Here's his scouting video from MLB.com.

Updated 8:34 PM: The Yanks picked Christopher Smith with the 170th pick. Smith is a left-handed outfielder out of Centennial HS in California. Here's his scouting video, and his stats.

Updated 9:00 PM: With the 200th pick in the draft, they selected Brett Marshall, a RHP from Ross S. Sterling HS in Texas. Here's his video.