Interview with 14th-round draft pick Danny Flatt
After the 2023 draft, there was a ton of chatter about the Yankees top draft picks. There was a lot to talk about given the talent they were able to acquire even after losing the 2nd and 5th round picks. As is often the case, there wasn’t nearly as much discussion of the players drafted after the 10th round. Those who have followed the Yankees farm system the past couple of seasons, however, know that this is where they often do their best work.
This year, the Yankees uncovered a real gem in the 14th round, Danny Flatt, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound right hander out of the P27 academy in South Carolina. NYY Underground contributors Dayne Huber and Carlos Pena had the chance to sit down with him for an interview recently and there is exciting news to share on several fronts.
Flatt informed NYYU that he has grown two full inches since being drafted and is now 6-foot-5. That added size will serve him well on his quest to increase his velocity and improve as a pitcher.
Flatt spoke about his journey to the Yankees during the interview through the P27 academy. “I had no (college) offers, came here, got bigger, stronger and faster.”
Prior to transferring to the P27 academy, Flatt was throwing his fastball in the low-80’s, and he was able to increase it to the low 90’s, now topping out at 95. What’s more impressive is the movement he is able to generate on his fastball, curveball, slider, and changeup.
He had this to say on the subject: “Fastball, curveball, slider, changeup. My best two are curveball and slider because of the high spin rates. The curveball is up to 3200 rpm. The slider has been close to 3000 rpm as well. For the fastball, coming into the organization the shape was pretty average. Working with those guys in the complex, we’re trying to get more cutting action. The four-seam fastball was able to 4, close to 0 inches of run.”
When asked about which MLB players he models his game after, Flatt was quick to mention Gerrit Cole.
“Gerrit Cole is an awesome competitor. I loved Degrom. I loved watching him. Scherzer and his aggressive mentality on the mound. That’s fun to watch.”
Dayne asked what it was like to be drafted and how he found out. He responded, “No phone call, no nothing, just looked up at the board and saw my name and I was just super excited.”
When asked about being a part of the Yankees organization and going to to complex, “They know what they’re doing. I believe in everything they got going over there”
“Everywhere you look, they have a guy who is doing something that other organizations don’t have.”
On the subject of where he will start in 2024, Dayne suggested he would likely be at the complex and the FCL. Flatt responded, “I would think that’s where I’d start.”
The interview then turned to the offseason, with NYYU asking about the offseason routine and goals this year.
“That’s what it is this offseason, just trying to throw harder, throw strikes. Everything in this game is now is about velo and power, so that’s the direction where going now.”
He mentioned some of other goals for the offseason as well. “Working on my mechanics, making them more repeatable, trying to put the ball where I want.”
As we learned from Grayson Crawford, the Yankees have an individualized plan for each player. Flatt had this to say, “It’s definitely not one size fits all. Everyone has their own plan. They do a good job of teaching you what to look for in the offseason and teaching you to be your own coach.”
“For me with my mechanics, it was an initiation thing, trying to get some momentum going forward and drift while still getting into my back leg. That’s something I’ve been working on a lot.”
In Flatt, the Yankees added a big, young pitcher with a sky-high ceiling in the 14th round. It’s no wonder there was a buzz around the Yankees draft room when he fell to them. The velocity coupled with the movement of Flatt’s pitches could make him a top prospect in the coming years.