This current class of Yankees pitching prospects is headlined by the explosiveness and wow factor of Carlos Lagrange and the polished approach of Elmer Rodríguez. Both are undoubtedly two exciting talents. The pitcher who may be getting overshadowed by the bigger names in the Yankees farm system is Ben Hess.
Hess was a first-round pick in 2024 (26th overall), signing for $2,747,500 out of Alabama. His college numbers will not immediately jump off the page, as he posted a 4.81 ERA across three seasons with the Crimson Tide. However, the Yankees drafted Hess for his upside. In 2024, he struck out 106 batters in just 68 innings across 15 starts.
At 6’5”, 255 pounds, Hess features a four-pitch mix: a fastball, slider, curveball, and changeup. Ranked as a consensus top 10 Yankees prospect by multiple outlets (No. 5 by both MLB.com and Baseball America), Hess pairs that arsenal with easy, repeatable mechanics that should translate well to the big leagues.
Hess put together a strong 2025 season. In his first taste of minor league action, he posted a 3.22 ERA and 139ks in 103.1 innings pitched. Hess limited opponents to a .177 batting average against as he finished the year with seven starts in Double-A. So far this spring, he has made two appearances for the Yankees, throwing five innings, allowing just one run, and striking out six.
Strikeouts have been a major strength for Hess and speak to his dynasty appeal. In 2025, he posted a 33.9% K rate in High-A and a 31.3% mark in Double-A. The key question moving forward will be his control. Hess posted a below average 10.9% walk rate across those levels, an area that will need improvement if he’s going to take the next step.
Let’s break down the arsenal of the talented right-hander.
Fastball
Hess throws a 92–96 mph fastball that can reach 98. In his latest Spring Training outing, it averaged 93.8 mph with a 58%+ whiff rate and 17 inches of vertical break, making it a highly effective pitch. While the pitch might not have overwhelming velocity, it features a lot of ride, with a spin rate typically recorded between 2,300–2,400 RPM. That shape allows it to attack hitters and stay above barrels, generating plenty of swings and misses.
Hess’s fastball currently projects around 55 on the 20–80 scale, with plenty of room for growth into a potential plus pitch when he reaches the big leagues. The fastball shape is already enticing. The hope is that as he continues refining his mechanics, he can add more velocity, taking it to the next level. While Hess already shows an above-average fastball, the best may still be ahead from an arsenal standpoint. Let’s look at his secondary offerings.
Curveball
Hess’s two best offerings are his secondary pitches, starting with the curveball. This pitch looks major-league ready and already generates plenty of swings and misses.
Hess throws a well-above-average curveball. The pitch features an 11–5 shape, an above-average spin rate of around 2,600 RPM, and elite movement that can generate elite break. Despite pitching from a low arm slot, the pitch still shows impressive depth.
He typically throws the curveball in the mid-70s to low-80s. In his three-inning appearance against the Pirates in February, the pitch generated 7 whiffs on 12 swings. The curveball averaged 19 inches of horizontal break, showing just how effective it can be. Pairing that pitch with a fastball that sits in the mid-to-upper 90s creates a difficult look for hitters to prepare for.
Visually and statistically, it’s easy to see why Yankees scouts are excited. It’s a plus pitch that plays well off his fastball and should produce plenty of swing-and-miss.
Slider
Hess’s next offering is his slider, the second of his two highly graded secondary pitches. He can manipulate the pitch in multiple ways, giving it a two-plane look depending on how he throws it. The slider typically is in the low 80’s, with an average spin rate around 2,100–2,200 RPM.
Hess can shape the pitch like a traditional sweeper that moves across the zone, but he also can tighten it up, so it resembles more of a cutter-like slider. It features excellent tilt, which generates plenty of swings and misses when paired with his fastball.
Both Baseball Savant and Baseball America profile the pitch as another plus offering in Hess’s arsenal. In his February 23rd spring training appearance against the Pirates, Hess’s sweeper/slider produced a 55.6% chase rate and a 62.5% whiff rate, further showing the pitch’s effectiveness.
The tape makes it pretty clear this is a legitimate pitch. A true 60–65 grade pitch that already looks MLB-ready.
Changeup
Hess does have a fourth pitch, but he abandoned the changeup a little bit in 2025. In 46 pitches during his latest Spring Training appearance, he only threw four changeups. Hess lacks a consistent command and feel for the pitch. The speed differentiation between his fastball and changeup (83-85 mph) gives the pitch plus potential, but it is still a work in progress.
As he continues to develop in the upper minor leagues and into the majors, the hope is that he can continue developing this pitch into a legitimate part of his arsenal. The development of a 4th pitch would really tie together his arsenal and give him another offering to attack lefties with. This could take him from a mid-rotation arm to a top-of-the-rotation pitcher.
Ben Hess Fantasy Outlook
Hess has the potential makings of a top-half-of-the-rotation arm, which obviously bodes well for his fantasy potential. However, there are some roadblocks that could prevent him from becoming an immediate dynasty stash. The Yankees would have to make room for him to even enter the conversation for a spot in the big-league rotation.
Not only do the Yankees currently have five solid rotation arms, but they also have pitchers like Luis Gil, Clarke Schmidt, and Ryan Weathers competing for major league innings. On top of that, the organization still has highly touted prospects such as Carlos Lagrange and Elmer Rodríguez working their way through the system. While Hess can become as effective a starting pitcher as Lagrange and Rodriguez, from a pure talent standpoint, Hess is a half step behind those two. At this point in time, it’s possible that Ben Hess could end up being the odd man out in the Yankees’ long-term rotation picture.
That said, he could become a valuable trade chip down the line, which might ultimately open up his path to dynasty relevance elsewhere.
The primary key area for Hess achieving his dynasty potential will be improving his command. He needs to control the zone better and consistently land pitches for strikes if he is going to develop into a reliable fantasy starter.
The positives are obvious. Hess features three above-average to plus pitches, easy, fluid mechanics, and the ability to miss plenty of bats. Hitters will likely always have a difficult time figuring him out. The question is whether that comes every fifth day in a starting rotation or if he could initially develop into a potential high-leverage bullpen arm. Hess definitely has the swing-and-miss stuff to develop into a top-tier reliever. One realistic path forward could be the “Michael King” path. One where Hess breaks into the major leagues as a reliever before eventually transitioning into an effective starting pitcher.
The talent is clearly there as Hess continues to climb both the Yankees prospect rankings and the minor league ladder. 2026 will be a monumental year for the 2024 first-round pick, and dynasty managers should be excited to see what’s in store.
For dynasty managers looking for a sneaky stash, Ben Hess could very well be that player.
