Bryce Cunningham ended his 2026 stint at Double-A on a very high note.
The Yankees' No. 9 prospect turned in his best start of the year for Somerset, dealing seven shutout innings with seven strikeouts and no walks in the Patriots' 4-3 victory over Hartford at TD Bank Ballpark. The right-hander allowed four hits -- all singles -- and threw 60 of his 86 pitches for strikes.
Cunningham, the No. 53 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, got a couple of K's on his changeup, which is arguably the best in the Yanks' system. But the majority of his strikeouts came on his slider, which is considered his third-best offering.
This was just Cunningham's fourth start at Double-A. He owns a 4.32 ERA through 25 innings at the level, but he also struck out 27 batters and walked just two during that span. For the year split between Somerset and High-A Hudson Valley, Cunningham recorded a 4.61 ERA over 105 1/3 innings.
COMPLETE YANKEES PROSPECT COVERAGE
That workload is encouraging after Cunningham missed three months of the 2025 season due to right shoulder inflammation. He really struggled upon his return and lost some velocity on his mid-90s fastball. But the Vanderbilt alum was able to stay healthy this year, and in the wake of his strong finish, his 2027 outlook appears bright.