Big-league teams thought they were done dealing with Dante Bichette. Sure enough, the former Rockies all-star has a slugging son, Dante Bichette Jr., who was selected by the Yankees 51st overall in the baseball draft, a compensation first-round pick.
The Blake Street Bomber’s son was the first player drafted this year by the Bronx Bombers.
“We had an idea that I was going to be picked by the Yankees, but when they picked me, I was just speechless for a while,” said Bichette Jr., who was a high-school standout at Orangewood Christian in Florida. “No one knew what to say, it was just an anxious and exciting time.”
Asked if he would sign with New York – instead of playing college ball at Georgia – he said, “I think so. I think we’ll be able to come to an agreement pretty fast and hopefully get on the field pretty soon.”
This season, Bichette Jr. batted .640 with 10 home runs and 40 RBI in 30 games. Though he played shortstop in high school, the Yankees drafted him as a third baseman.
“He’s got big-league power, there’s no question,” said his high school coach, Alan Kunkel. “You see the development over the years, you see how hard he’s worked. He’s working toward fulfilling a dream.”
Benjamin Hochman: 303-954-1294 or bhochman@denverpost.com
