It took till the fourth round, but the Yankees finally drafted a pitcher. Southpaw William Steven “Pico” Kohn out of Mississippi State University was drafted 134th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft Monday. Standing at 6 ft 4 in and weighing 200 lb, Kohn hails from Chilton County High School in Verbena, Alabama. He entered Mississippi State as a promising freshman and, following a missed 2023 campaign due to Tommy John surgery, returned to play as a redshirt junior, showcasing an enhanced arsenal that earned him a renewed draft profile.

During his 2025 season at Mississippi State, Kohn posted a 5–4 win–loss record with a 4.72 ERA across 109.1 innings, tallying an impressive 114 strikeouts against 29 walks. Notably, he led the Southeastern Conference in WHIP at 0.70 and registered a 7.57 strikeout-to-walk ratio through 35⅔ innings by late March, earning him the SEC Pitcher of the Week nod.

Scouting evaluators from MLB Pipeline ranked Kohn as their No. 122 prospect, emphasizing improvements in command and pitch quality, despite modest surface-level metrics. Baseball America placed him slightly lower at No. 168 but praised his overall starter profile—highlighting his height, left-handed delivery, and ability to miss bats in one of college baseball’s most competitive conferences. His disciplined approach on the mound—balancing strikeouts with low walk totals—reflects a maturity likely influenced by his recovery period and subsequent refinement of his mechanics and pitch mix.

Selected 134th overall by the Yankees, Kohn joins a franchise noted for drafting pitchers with high long-term upside, emphasizing his potential as a future rotation piece despite the adjustment curve from college to pro ball. With a fresh pro contract in-hand, Kohn embodies the archetype of a developmental college arm possessing strikeout potential, advanced command, and a projection profile appealing to organizations prioritizing left-handed depth. His academic recognition—including multiple SEC Academic Honor Roll selections—rounds out his profile as a dedicated student-athlete poised to embark on his professional journey.

(Top Image Credit: Mississippi State University)