Former Alabama baseball ace, first round pick shines in professional debut
Former Alabama baseball ace, first round pick shines in professional debut
Among the highest-drafted Alabama Crimson Tide baseball players in recent memory, the long-awaited professional debut of Ben Hess has now officially come.
A member of the New York Yankees organization, Hess' professional debut took place Wednesday afternoon, as the former Alabama ace started on the mound for the Hudson Valley Renegades. The Yankees' High-A affiliate, Hess impressed as well, pitching 4.2 scoreless innings with nine strikeouts, while also allowing only two hits and one walk.
Hess, who was taken by New York with the No. 26 overall pick in the first round of the 2024 MLB draft, is currently considered as the Yankees No. 4 overall prospect according to MLB Pipeline. The right-hander is also considered as the Yankees top pitching prospect.
At Alabama, Hess appeared in 33 games for the Crimson Tide from 2022-24, 30 of which he started. Pitching a combined 138.1 innings, Hess owned a 12-6 record with a 4.81 ERA and 205:62 K:BB ratio across his three seasons in Tuscaloosa.
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