Yankees Ink 38th Overall Pick T.J. Sikkema

By Jerry Del Priore

LHP TJ Sikkema with the University of Missouri. Photo courtesy of Tigers Baseball.

The New York Yankees have signed thirty-eight overall draft selection T.J. Sikkema last week to a deal worth full slot value at $1.95MM, according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.

This was the pick the Yankees received in the Sonny Gray trade with the Cincinnati Reds.  

Sikkema’s worth lays in the fact that he could either start like he did this past season for the University of Missouri or come out of the bullpen.  

As a starter, the southpaw went 7-4 with a 1.32 ERA and registered 101 strikeouts to 31 walks in 88.2 innings of work (17 games, 13 starts) with the Tigers.

As a reliever, Sikkema’s fastball hovered around 93-95 MPH, but he generally sits in the 89-92 MPH range when he starts.

Additionally, he throws four pitches that scouts say are either average or better.

Considering the DeWitt, Iowa, native will turn 21 in July, I believe it’s likely he’ll start his professional baseball career with New York’s short-season Single-A New York-Penn League (NYPL) affiliate in Staten Island.