With the No. 53 pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, the Yankees selected Vanderbilt RHP Bryce Cunningham.
The 6-foot-5, 230-pounder from Headland, Ala., joins Alabama’s Ben Hess — New York’s No. 26 pick — as the Yankees’ second RHP drafted Sunday.
Starting 26 of 46 games for Vanderbilt from 2022-24, Cunningham was 11-8 with a 4.95 ERA. In 160 IP, Cunningham totaled 168 strikeouts to 71 walks.
“Bryce has improved in every area since arriving in the spring of ’21,” Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin said before this past season. “I’m just really proud of his growth and maturity. … His strength and fitness levels have grown over the last year and you can see the dividends in his movements down the mound.”
As a junior during the 2023 season, Cunningham went 7-4 with a 4.36 ERA while striking out 96 and walking 34 in 84.2 IP across 16 games — all starts.
Cunningham was 2-3 with a 6.43 ERA as a sophomore for the 2023 campaign, fanning 45 and walking 23 in 42 IP over 18 games (four starts).
He debuted with a 2-1 record and 4.59 ERA as a freshman on the 2022 season, including 27 strikeouts to 14 walks in 33.1 IP through 12 games (six starts).
