BALTIMORE -- The Yankees have a long history of seeking big-bodied workhorses capable of heading the front of their rotation, which is what some scouts dream of in Ben Hess.

Hess, a 21-year-old right-hander from the University of Alabama, was selected by the Yankees in the first round of Sunday’s MLB Draft with the 26th overall pick. The Yanks also selected right-hander Bryce Cunningham out of Vanderbilt University with the 53rd overall pick.

A junior from Charleston, Ill., Hess possesses the upside of a No. 2 starter, owning the best K/9.0 inning ratio in Crimson Tide history (13.34, with 205 strikeouts in 138 1/3 innings).

“Ben checks off a lot of things for us,” said Damon Oppenheimer, the Yankees’ vice president of domestic amateur scouting. “He fits what we are looking for in a potential top-of-the-line Major League starter. Specifically, he’s a big, power right-hander that can throw two breaking balls and can reach up to 97 [mph]. We think there is even more to come from Ben with our player development program.”

The No. 26 pick carries a slot value of $3,332,900. The Yankees’ bonus pool is $8,134,500.

Ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Draft’s No. 44 prospect, Hess dealt with injury concerns in high school and during his first two collegiate seasons, including a right flexor strain that limited him to seven games in 2023. That prompted some to question if he would fall to the second round.

The Yankees liked what they saw from Hess as a junior, though, coming off a healthy season in which he was 5-5 with a 5.80 ERA, striking out 106 against 35 walks in 68 1/3 innings. His strikeout total ranked eighth in the SEC.

“We saw him early in the year, and the stuff was dynamite at times,” Tennessee coach Tony Vitiello said on MLB Network. “I think what they’re looking for here is a big, physical starting pitcher, and a guy that’s not afraid to compete.”

Hess isn’t one to shy away from a challenge. Vitiello referred to a May 5 game when Hess was dealing with a nasty case of food poisoning but took the ball anyway, tossing four innings of one-run ball in an Alabama victory over Mississippi State.

"It's easy when things go exactly the way you want. That's what a lot of people think success looks like, but that's not success," Alabama head coach Rob Vaughn told the Tuscaloosa (Ala.) News after that game.

"Sustained success is going through the muddy, dirty, hard stuff and coming out the other end because you just keep showing up and working, and that's exactly what Ben has done."

Over his college career, Hess posted a 12-6 record and 4.81 ERA in 33 games (30 starts). He’s the first pitcher that the Yankees have taken with their top pick since Clarke Schmidt in 2017.

Hess is just the fifth Alabama player to be selected in the first round of the MLB Draft, joining Joe Vitiello (1991), Jeremy Brown (2002), Taylor Tankersley (2004) and Tommy Hunter (2007).

Drawing comparisons to Lance Lynn in terms of body type and approach, Hess’ best offering is a four-seam fastball that sits at 92-96 mph and reaches 99 mph with run and carry up in the strike zone.

His mid-80s slider with two-plane depth gives him a second plus offering, and he can turn it into a harder, shorter cutter. He can also employ a mid-70s curveball to offer a different look, but scouts indicate he has lost faith in a fading mid-80s changeup.

This is the second consecutive year that the Yankees owned the No. 26 overall selection; last year, they selected Florida high school infielder George Lombard, Jr., who is currently playing at Single-A Tampa and is ranked as their No. 6 prospect by MLB Pipeline.

Yanks add another right-hander in second round

Cunningham, 21, was 7-4 with a 4.36 ERA in 16 starts as a junior, his first year as a full-time starter. In 84 2/3 innings, he held opponents to 69 hits and 49 runs (41 earned), with 34 walks and 96 strikeouts. The slot value of the No. 53 pick is $1,721,200.

“Very exciting,” Cunningham told the Dothan (Ala.) Eagle on Sunday. “I am excited to be a part of a historical organization.”

The 6-foot-5, 230-pound hurler enjoyed success in the Cape Cod League, where he made two All-Star teams and won two championships with Bourne. Scouts believe that Cunningham has the upside of a No. 2 or No. 3 starter.

“We love Bryce because he’s another pick that could have top-end starter potential and has already been tested in the SEC,” said Oppenheimer. “He’s a quality pitcher and a powerful right-hander with a big fastball that can reach up to 99 [mph], a good changeup, and a slider that continues to improve. Bryce has continued to get better, and credit to him on what he has done on his own, his performance in the Cape Cod Baseball League, and the support he received at Vanderbilt.”

The MLB Draft continues on Monday with selections in Rounds 3-10.