The Yankees could have one other stud on the horizon they usually can thank their arch nemesis for it.
The Bombers acquired Elmer Rodriguez in a take care of the Boston Purple Sox in alternate for Carlos Narvaez final offseason and it’s paying dividends for each side. Narvaez loved a powerful season for the Sox final 12 months, posting a .726 OPS in 118 video games, whereas Rodriguez climbed the ranks within the Bombers’ system.
The Yanks’ No. 3 prospect posted a 2.58 ERA in 27 video games between Excessive-A, Double-A and Triple-A. The suitable-hander encompasses a fastball that may attain the upper-90’s in addition to a curveball, slider and splitter in his arsenal.
Yankees GM Brian Cashman touted the younger righty on the Winter Conferences saying, “The kid Cruz [he was formerly known as Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz] we got from Boston…he’s knocking on the door.”
Baseball America named Rodriguez the Yankees’ Minor League Participant of the 12 months for 2025 as his 179 strikeouts had been the second most amongst minor league pitchers.
“That’s one of the reasons we went after him — we just thought there was a lot of upside,” Sam Briend, Yankees director of pitching, stated in 2025. “He’s a really aggressive strike thrower, throws really hard. He averaged 95-plus miles an hour. We really thought the secondary pitches were the pieces we could impact.”
It stays to be seen when Rodriguez will kick the MLB door in, nevertheless, the circumstances coming into 2026 are favorable for the 22-year-old. Gerrit Cole (Tommy John restoration), Carlos Rodon (bone spur) and Clarke Schmidt (Tommy John surgical procedure) are all slated to overlook at the very least the start of subsequent season. Ought to Rodriguez have a powerful spring audition, he will likely be firmly on the radar to interrupt camp with the Bombers.
Even when he begins the season at Triple-A — he’s made only one begin on the degree in his profession — the influence rookie earlier than him laid out the blueprint final season. Cam Schlittler opened up the 2025 season with a powerful spring coaching that put him firmly on the radar of the MLB membership — destined to make an influence within the upcoming season. Finally, Schlittler was despatched down after spring, nevertheless, he’s now spoken about as the way forward for the Yankees rotation after a dominant 14-game common season beginning in July and postseason.
“I knew it was going to be really hard for our guys to trade him,” supervisor Aaron Boone stated in October concerning the Bombers reluctance to commerce Schlittler on the deadline. “I’m sure they would’ve had to have been overwhelmed with something. That’s how we view Cam. ‘This is a future staple of our rotation’, so I’m sure it wouldn’t have been easy for a club to get him.”
Rodriguez has an extended option to go, nevertheless, if he can seize the second in spring, he may very well be donning the pinstripes sooner quite than later.
