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Rory Fox is the kind of player who won’t be pigeonholed. At Catholic Memorial High in Wisconsin, he was the quarterback who led his team to a state championship, the kid who somehow balanced basketball practice, baseball workouts, and enough AP classes to finish as valedictorian. When Notre Dame came calling, it was as much for his success in the classroom as for his skills on the diamond — and even with that, he was initially viewed more as a middle infielder who could pitch on the side. But over time, his potential on the mound became too enticing to ignore, and a decision was made before his junior season that Fox should focus entirely on pitching. The 6-foot-3 right-hander, with a fastball in the mid-90s and a tight slider that regularly misses bats, posted a 3.58 ERA last spring, with 64 strikeouts in 65.1 innings. Now, he’s a New York Yankee. Fox went in the sixth round of the 2025 MLB Draft and quickly became one of the organization’s most interesting stories — not because of gaudy radar-gun numbers, but because of the way he moves. Athletic, confident, polished. The kind of prospect you can picture sharpening quietly in the background until suddenly, he’s thriving in the spotlight. And as highlighted in a draft profile from Baseball America, Fox also happens to represent what this Yankees draft was about: balance, projection, and polish. No single pick screamed headline, but together? It’s a class with layers — and maybe, one that will age better than most. Rory Fox Exemplifies Yankees Draft Class Boasting of Athletic Competitors It starts at the top. Georgia shortstop Dax Kilby, the team’s first-round pick, didn’t just validate his selection — he detonated expectations. In just 18 games with Single-A Tampa, Kilby slashed .353/.457/.441, walked more than he struck out, and stole 16 bases in 17 tries. Scouts at Baseball America couldn’t contain themselves, calling him the best-performing hitter in the entire draft class. He’s the kind of left-handed bat the Yankees have spent years trying to home-grow — compact swing, barrel awareness, sneaky power. The data backed the eye test: 91.9 mph average exit velocity, elite swing decisions, and a chase rate that would make a veteran blush. Kilby might not look like the stereotypical Bronx bomber yet, but his first taste of pro ball suggests he could be a future cornerstone. But if Kilby was the surgeon, Kyle West was the hammer. The 13th-round first baseman out of West Virginia brought 55 career college home runs and a .674 slugging percentage — the definition of “country strong.” He’s the kind of late-round bat who can tilt a draft class if the power translates against better pitching. Speed? That’s Richie Bonomolo, the Alabama outfielder taken in the seventh round. He’s not just fast — he’s efficient, stealing 16 of 17 bases this spring while flashing 60-grade run times. Baseball America also credited him as one of the best defenders in the group, a player capable of sticking in center. If he hits enough, he could be the sleeper who races through the system. Utah’s Core Jackson, taken in the fifth, rounds out the defensive standouts — a steady, sure-handed shortstop who does the little things right. Not flashy, but reliable. The kind of glue guy the Yankees’ player development system has always appreciated. Yankees Draft Filled with Collegiate Arms Poised to Make Future Headlines Every Yankees draft leans on pitching, and this one was no exception. Texas Tech’s Mac Heuer boasts the best fastball — a 93–95 mph heater that’s touched 98 with spin that plays at the top of the zone. Indiana’s Ben Grable doesn’t throw quite as hard but owns a fastball with excellent carry. Together, they represent two sides of the Yankees’ pitching profile: velocity and vertical life. Then there’s Blake Gillespie, a righty from UNC Charlotte who threw his slider 61 percent of the time in college — yes, 61 percent. It’s a low-80s weapon that got whiffs from both sides and gave him the “best secondary pitch” nod in Baseball America’s report. Mississippi State’s Pico Kohn also drew mention for his own slider, one he can shape and locate like a veteran. And at the back end of the board, there’s Brennan Stuprich, the Southland Conference Pitcher of the Year, who went in the 14th round after posting a 2.90 ERA and nearly 30 percent strikeout rate. Scouts love his four-pitch mix and mound presence — the kind of profile that sometimes sneaks into big-league relevance before anyone notices. Texas A&M shortstop Kaeden Kent, son of five-time All-Star Jeff Kent, got the nod as “closest to the majors.” That tracks. He’s a polished, high-floor infielder with the baseball DNA and steady, no-nonsense skill set that often translates fast. And that brings us back to Fox — the “best athlete” of the bunch and owner of the “most intriguing background.” His brother Luke pitched at Duke and was drafted by the Dodgers two years earlier. Rory followed a different path: part football warrior, part science major, part pitcher who still looks like he could run a read-option on Saturdays. Baseball America’s summary paints a portrait of a draft less about raw fireworks and more about composure — about athletes, competitors, and thinkers. It’s a class that may not light up prospect rankings immediately, but the Yankees have seen this movie before. Sometimes the real story is the quiet one: the shortstop who doesn’t swing and miss, the sixth-rounder who never gets rattled, the late-round righty who keeps carving. The Yankees’ 2025 draft isn’t built on headlines. It’s built on the kind of players who make them later.
