New York Yankees 2023 Top 30 Prospect Wraps: Elijah Dunham

Elijah Dunham is a prospect the New York Yankees hope someday can become a capable outfielder at the Major League level.

InsideThePinstripes.com will review each of the New York Yankees’ Top 30 prospects, as ranked by MLB.com at the end of the 2023 season.

No. 30: OF Elijah Dunham, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (Triple-A), Somerset Patriots (Double-A)

Statistics for 2023: .227/.330/.389/.719, 25 doubles, two triples, 16 home runs, 43 RBI, 151 strikeouts, 67 walks, 35 stolen bases.

With SWB (69 games): .216/.330/.340/.670, 12 doubles, one triple, six home runs, 16 RBI, 87 strikeouts, 39 walks, 12 stolen bases.

With Somerset (56 games): .240/.331/.447/.778, 13 doubles, one triple, 10 home runs, 27 RBI, 64 strikeouts, 28 walks, 23 stolen bases.

Season Transactions: Began 2023 with SWB. Demoted to Somerset on July 4.

Season Summary: Dunham got his crack at Triple-A ball for the first time to start 2023 and did not get the job done. His play at Somerset in 2022 earned him the promotion but he struggled to deal with Triple-A pitching. He batted .308 in his first 13 games but couldn’t sustain it and his average steadily dropped until the Yankees sent him back to Somerset. There, he started hitting and getting on base consistently again. He wouldn’t be the first player to struggle with a move from one level to another in the minor leagues on the first try.

Path Through the Organization: Dunham made the right decision turning down a contract after the Pittsburgh Pirates drafted him in the 40th-round out of Indiana in 2019. But the COVID-19 Pandemic shortened the 2020 Draft to five rounds and Dunham went undrafted. It worked out, though. He signed with the Yankees and has quickly climbed the ranks. He was the 2021 Arizona Fall League Breakout Player of the Year. He also helped Somerset win the Eastern League championship in 2022.

What’s next: He’s one of those players that can do everything well, which can sometimes be more of a hindrance than a help when trying to climb the minor-league ladder. Teams want high-level traits in at least one area, and his best appears to be a compact, left-handed hitting stroke that has power potential. His test at SWB to start 2023 didn’t go well, but he excelled once again with Somerset. If he want to make it to the Majors, he needs to put up quality Somerset numbers at SWB in 2024.