Kilby's wish comes true with Yankees' Draft selection

NEW YORK -- The Yankees’ decision-makers were gathered in a conference room at the club’s Player Development complex in Tampa, Fla., as the early picks of the 2025 MLB Draft ticked by. Inside the room, there was quiet hope that shortstop Dax Kilby would still be available -- and growing anxiety that another club might grab him first.

“We were holding our breath that it would be Dax on our board,” said Damon Oppenheimer, the Yankees’ vice president of domestic amateur scouting.

Twenty-something names came off the board. The Guardians selected Texas A&M outfielder Jace LaViolette. The Mets grabbed Michigan second baseman Mitch Voit. The Yankees were on the clock -- and they pounced, selecting Kilby out of Newnan (Ga.) High School.

It was exactly the outcome the 18-year-old had been hoping for, too. He’d participated in a private pre-Draft workout at the Yankees’ Tampa complex, a visit that left a lasting impression.

“I felt like I was very welcomed,” Kilby said on Thursday. “I really loved everything about the Yankees organization while I was down here. Leading up to the Draft, I knew that I just wanted to be a part of this organization. This was the team I was hoping for.”

Kilby underwent a physical on Thursday and expects to officially sign a pro contract on Friday, forgoing his commitment to Clemson University. The No. 39 pick carries a slot value of $2,509,500.

Shortly after the pick, Kilby received a congratulatory Instagram message from Nick Swisher and a phone call from Yankees manager Aaron Boone.

“It’s awesome getting these phone calls and messages from all these guys,” Kilby said.

Touted as one of the more polished high school bats in this year’s class, Kilby produced against elite competition on the showcase circuit and led Newnan to its first Georgia state 5A title in 34 years.

Oppenheimer said the Yankees had eight amateur scouts evaluate Kilby, describing him as a “strong-bodied and athletic” left-handed-hitting shortstop. At the Tampa workout, they were especially impressed by his bat-to-ball skills, plus speed and developing power.

Scouts describe Kilby’s swing as quick and compact, with a mature gap-to-gap approach. According to MLB Pipeline, he rarely chases outside the strike zone and makes consistent contact.

“His swing works real well,” Oppenheimer said. “He’s got a contact-oriented swing that also has power. It adapts to being able to hit balls in different quadrants.”

The Yankees see upside value in Kilby, who batted .495 with 53 runs scored, 11 doubles, four triples, five home runs, 42 RBIs, 33 walks and 15 stolen bases during his senior year, with an .838 slugging percentage.

Among his accolades: Georgia High School Association MVP in the 5A championship, Georgia’s 2024-25 Baseball Player of the Year (Atlanta Journal-Constitution), ITG Next’s 2025 Georgia Male Athlete of the Year, and ABCA/Rawlings Region 3 All-Region and High School All-America Second Team.

“I think I just do all the normal things right, and I do everything I can to win,” Kilby said. “I feel like I’m a very tough competitor. I just want to be a winner.”

At a recent MLB Draft combine, Kilby placed fourth by completing a 30-yard sprint in 3.55 seconds; former Major League manager Buck Showalter identified Kilby as his “favorite player” at the event, according to MLB Network.

Kilby was bothered by a growth plate issue in his right shoulder early in his high school career and is said to have a funky arm action, which scouts say impacts his throwing from shortstop. But Oppenheimer downplayed those concerns.

“What we saw of him at shortstop this year gives us a lot of hope that with our [player development] people and what they’re able to do defensively, that he’s going to be able to play shortstop [professionally],” Oppenheimer said.

Two years ago, the Yankees used their first selection (26th overall) to take shortstop George Lombard Jr. out of Gulliver Preparatory School in Pinecrest, Fla.; Lombard is now rated as the club’s No. 1 prospect by MLB Pipeline and participated in Saturday’s All-Star Futures Game at Atlanta’s Truist Park.

It’s the fourth time in the last seven years that the Yanks have used their first-round selection on an infielder, with Kilby following Lombard, Trey Sweeney (2021) and Anthony Volpe ('19).

“I’m super excited to get to work,” Kilby said.