Ben

Hess

Hess carried a 1.80 ERA in five innings of Spring Training ball, striking out six. He’ll likely return to Double-A, where he posted a 0.95 WHIP and 2.70 ERA in seven starts in 2025, to start the 2026 campaign.

Hess, the Yankees’ first-round pick in 2024, got 11 whiffs on 22 swings against Pirates minor leaguers. He’s due to return to Double-A to begin this year after finishing last season with a 2.70 ERA in seven late starts at the level.

Hess receives a slightly below-slot $2.75 million deal from the Yankees after being selected with the 26th overall pick earlier this month, which carries a slot value of $3.33 million. The towering 21-year-old right-hander possesses the prototypical modern-era front-of-the-rotation starter kit with a fastball that touches 98 mph to go along with a pair of above-average breaking balls and a developing changeup. If everything comes together, he’s going to make an impact for fantasy managers in a couple years, if not sooner.

Hess is massive (6'5/255), and at his best, he’s shown some of the better stuff of any collegiate arm. He’s dealt with injury issues and some inconsistency when on the mound, but at his best you see a plus fastball and slider and average curveball with a similarly-graded change. Hess offers a little more risk than a typical college arm, but maybe a little more reward with it.