With their first pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, the New York Yankees selected Dax Kilby with the 39th overall selection. Kilby is a 6-foot-2 shortstop from Newnan High School in Georgia, about 45 minutes southwest of Atlanta. After leading Newnan to a state championship this past year, he was rated as the 75th-best prospect in the draft by Baseball America, 55th by The Athletic, and 62nd by MLB.com.

Kilby is considered a solid high school bat with a good track record against quality competition on the showcase circuits. He will turn 19 in November and is currently committed to Clemson University, but the Yankees must feel confident that they can sign him away from that commitment to take him with this pick.

𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 𝐌𝐋𝐁 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭 𝐁𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝: 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀 👀@ClemsonBaseball commit @dax_kilby led @NewnanBaseball to its first state title since ’91 while rising into the @PB_DraftHQ Top 100.

A smooth, lefty-hitting SS with size and polish—his pro upside is easy to… pic.twitter.com/4iZKqChvcQ

— Prep Baseball (@prepbaseball) July 2, 2025

Kilby is left-handed hitter who has a strong line-drive gap-to-gap profile with average power right now. In 99 at-bats this spring he hit .495 with five home-runs, 11 doubles and four triples and was the MVP of the Georgia State Championship Series. Scouts see him as a player who can add strength to his frame and add more power. This could become a decent power hitter down the road, especially if he stays and can take advantage of the Short Porch in Yankee Stadium.

It would probably be wise to need heed the positional classification too closely, as while Kilby is listed as a shortstop, he will likely move to second base or the outfield. Kilby had a shoulder injury early in his high school career and does not have the arm strength to make all the throws from shortstop. He has above average speed and his 3.55 seconds in the 30-yard dash at the MLB combine ranked 4th at the event.

Due to the free agency rules around the Max Fried signing, the Yankees won’t pick again until much later this evening, in the third round and 103rd overall. Let us know your gut instinct on how you grade the top pick!