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ATLANTA — Once droves of scouts started showing up to his high school games this past season, Dax Kilby realized that getting drafted this summer was a legitimate possibility. 

Then when the Yankees brought him to Tampa after his season ended for a private workout, the shortstop began to set his sights and hopes on them in particular. 

That came to fruition Sunday when the Yankees drafted Kilby with their first-round pick (39th overall), with the 18-year-old expected to sign Friday afternoon and forgo a commitment to Clemson. 

“I’m thrilled to sign and start working,” Kilby said on a conference call Thursday from the Yankees’ player development complex in Tampa. 

Damon Oppenheimer, the Yankees’ vice president of amateur scouting, said earlier this week that the organization had eight scouts get their eyes on Kilby in the lead-up to the draft, including the private workout. 

“Especially being the only one at that workout, it was just me here out of all the other prospects, so I felt very like the center of attention,” Kilby said. “I felt like I was very welcomed and I really loved everything about the Yankees organization while I was down here. Leading up to the draft, I knew I wanted to be part of this organization. So this was the team I was hoping for going into the draft.” 

Kilby, a left-handed hitter who the Yankees believe can stick at shortstop, said he models his swing after Christian Yelich and Jackson Merrill. 

Since getting drafted, Kilby said he got a call from Aaron Boone on Wednesday night and an Instagram message from Nick Swisher. 

“I’m beyond excited to be able to be part of this great organization,” Kilby said. “I’m very grateful just to be able to play for this very prestigious MLB team.” 

The Yankees on Thursday optioned Clayton Beeter to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to make room for righty reliever Rico Garcia, who they claimed off waivers from the Mets earlier this week.

Beeter has been tagged for six runs on five hits and four walks across two appearances and 3 ²/₃ innings this season.