Elmer Rodríguez #71

Full name is Elmer Javier Rodríguez Cruz...Attended Leadership Christian Academy (P.R.).

2025

Was named by Baseball America as the Yankees’ 2025 Minor League “Player of the Year” after going 11-8 with a 2.58 ERA (150IP, 104H, 52R/43ER, 57BB, 176K, 3HR) in 27 combined appearances (26 starts) with High-A Hudson Valley (15G/14GS), Double-A Somerset (11GS) and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (1GS)...Among qualified minor league pitchers, ranked second in strikeouts, was tied for fifth in innings pitched and eighth in opponents’ BA (.192) and ERA...also ranked first among Yankees farmhands in strikeouts and innings pitched, was tied for first in starts, second in ERA, opponents’ BA and WHIP (1.07), and tied for third in wins...Began the season with High-A Hudson Valley, going 6-4 with a 2.26 ERA (83.2IP, 52H, 27R/21ER, 37BB, 99K, 1HR) in 15 games (14 starts)...was named the South Atlantic League “Pitcher of the Week” for 4/21-27 after allowing only 1H and striking out 12 batters over 6.1 scoreless innings in his start on 4/25 at Asheville (W, 1BB)...Was promoted to Double-A Somerset on 7/11 and went 5-3 with a 2.64 ERA (61.1IP, 44H, 21R/18ER, 20BB, 74K, 2HR) in 11 starts...was named the Eastern League “Pitcher of the Week” for 9/1-7 after going 1-0 over two scoreless starts (11.0IP, 3H, 2BB, 16K)...Made his final appearance of the year with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (L, 5IP, 8H, 4R/ER, 0BB, 3K, 0HR, 1HP, 1BK)...also made a postseason start with the RailRiders on 9/25 at Jacksonville in Game 3 of the International Championship Series at Jacksonville (L, 0.2IP, 4H, 5R/ER, 2BB, 2K, 0HR)...Following the season, was tabbed by Baseball America as the Yankees’ No. 2 prospect and the No. 59 prospect in baseball...was also tabbed as the Yankees’ No. 3 prospect by MLB Pipeline and the No. 82 prospect in baseball...was named by Baseball America as a High Class A All-Star and as a First-Team All-Star...was also labeled by Baseball America as having the “Best Curveball” and “Best Control” in the Yankees system...Was added to the Yankees’ 40-man roster on 11/18.  

2024

Combined to go 5-5 with a 2.91 ERA (89.2IP, 65H, 39R/29ER, 43BB, 102K, 5HR) in 21 games (20 starts) with Single-A Salem (14G/13GS) and High-A Greenville (7GS)...Began the season with Single-A Salem, going 3-4 with a 2.51 ERA (61.0IP, 47H, 26R/17ER, 25BB, 73K, 1HR) in 14 games (13 starts)...was named the Carolina League “Pitcher of the Month” for June with Salem after allowing only 2R/0ER in 20.0IP over four starts...Was promoted to High-A Greenville on 7/23 and went 2-1 with a 3.77 ERA (28.2IP, 18H, 13R/12ER, 18BB, 29K, 4HR) in seven starts...Following the season, was named a Low Class-A All-Star with Salem by Baseball America...Was acquired by the Yankees along with international signing bonus pool money from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for C Carlos Narváez on 12/11.