Dax Kilby Set to Sign with Yankees After First-Round Draft Selection
Dax Kilby Set to Sign with Yankees After First-Round Selection
Tampa, FL – Excitement is in the air as Dax Kilby, the Yankees’ first-round pick, prepares to sign with the storied franchise this Friday afternoon. The 18-year-old shortstop from Newnan High School in Georgia is ready to embark on a new chapter, having previously committed to play at Clemson University.
Kilby was spotted at the Yankees’ training facility in Tampa on Thursday, where he was set to complete his physical. “I’m super excited to get to work,” he said during an introductory Zoom call, radiating enthusiasm for the journey ahead.
Selected with the No. 39 pick in Sunday’s MLB Draft, Kilby was a target for the Yankees throughout an exhaustive pre-draft process. The feeling was mutual; Kilby had hoped the Yankees would choose him. A private workout in Tampa sealed the deal for him, as he was impressed by the organization’s facilities and player-development program.
“I was the only one here,” Kilby recalled. “I felt very welcomed, and 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.”
Kilby had an outstanding senior season, batting .495 with five home runs, 42 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases, leading his team to the Georgia state 5-A championship. As scouts filled the stands, he realized he had a legitimate shot at being drafted.
When asked about passing on Clemson, Kilby admitted, “It definitely was difficult, but as the draft started getting closer and knowing that my name was going to be farther up the draft board than I originally thought, it was a clear no-brainer.”
Standing at 6 feet 2 inches and weighing 190 pounds, Kilby joins a prestigious lineage of high-school shortstops drafted by the Yankees, including legends like Derek Jeter and current top prospect Anthony Volpe. He models his left-handed swing after MLB All-Stars Christian Yelich and Jackson Merrill, expressing admiration for Toronto’s Bo Bichette.
“He’s got a contact-oriented swing that also has power and adapts to being able to hit balls in different quadrants,” said Damon Oppenheimer, the Yankees’ vice president of domestic amateur scouting. “On top of that, he can run. He’s got good instincts, and what we saw of him at shortstop this year gave us a lot of hope.”
Kilby is eager to develop his skills further, stating, “I’m excited to be able to work with all of the top-tier coaching here with the Yankees.”
The Yankees had only one pick in the top 100 this year, having forfeited their second-rounder to sign pitcher Max Fried in the offseason. They later selected Texas A&M shortstop Kaeden Kent in the third round, who signed for $744,400.
The pick value for Kilby at No. 39 is set at $2,509,500, according to MLB.
After being drafted, Kilby received congratulatory messages from former Yankee Nick Swisher and manager Aaron Boone, who welcomed him to the organization. Surrounded by family, friends, and teammates, Kilby described the moment as “unreal,” adding, “It’s obviously a moment that every little kid dreams of, especially with the Yankees.”
As Kilby prepares to officially join the Yankees, fans and analysts alike are eager to see how this promising young talent will contribute to the franchise’s storied legacy.