EXCLUSIVE: Yankees Puerto Rican Pitching Prospect Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz Dominates Binghamton Mets

New York Yankees’ Puerto Rican pitching prospect Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz dominated the Mets’ Double-A affiliate, the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, this past week. Rodriguez-Cruz was promoted to the Yankees’ Double-A affiliate, the Somerset Patriots, from the Yankees’ High-A affiliate, the Hudson Valley Renegades, on July 11.

Rodriguez-Cruz, 21, pitched six scoreless innings with seven strikeouts on Aug. 10, and he threw seven scoreless innings with eight strikeouts on Aug. 5. He gave up five hits and four walks combined in 13 innings of work against the Binghamton Mets. The Binghamton Mets were the first Minor League team to reach 70 wins this season on Aug. 7, and they have the second-best offense in the Eastern League with an OPS of .731. The Eastern League consists of 12 teams.

Rodriguez-Cruz took a unique path, being drafted out of the Leadership Christian Academy in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. He was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 4th round of the 2021 MLB Draft and was traded to the Yankees this past offseason.

He spoke to the media before the game on Aug.7 about his background from Puerto Rico and his progression on the mound this season.

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He talked about representing Puerto Ricans and adjusting to baseball and life in the States.

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— World Baseball Network (@WorldBaseball_) August 10, 2025

“I mean, just for me, it’s like part of it being like going out of Puerto Rico, it’s not a big country,” Rodriguez-Cruz told World Baseball Network. “So, just coming out of there, I want to be an example to those kids. If you put in the work and some dedication and discipline to it, you can always achieve your dreams.”

“It’s an honor for me to come out of Puerto Rico.”

Rodriguez-Cruz also explained his learning curve with a new language and baseball, coming from Puerto Rico to the States.

“I mean, it was kind of different when I was back home,” Rodriguez-Cruz told World Baseball Network. “I used to learn English when I was in school, but coming out here, it’s not the same as being at home, you just speak Spanish.”

“Coming here and learning English to speak, having conversations, and all that. At the end of the day, baseball is just baseball, wherever you play, like if it’s there in Puerto Rico or here in the U.S. I just try to do all the fundamentals I was taught back home and just take it out to the field. It was a great experience.”

Rodriguez-Cruz is the Yankees’ 6th-ranked prospect on MLB Pipeline.com and has racked up 129 strikeouts in 115.2 innings with an ERA of 2.02 this season for the Renegades and Patriots.

“I bulked up this offseason and took my training and my diet seriously, and I feel like that’s made a big difference and has given me more confidence this season,” Rodriguez-Cruz told the media.

Rodriguez-Cruz is 6-foot-3, 180 pounds, and he is still looking to take advantage of the Yankees’ facilities and work on his game. Shortly after he was traded, he started working out at the Yankees complex in Tampa, Florida.

“If it’s helping me, I’m just going to keep using it to my advantage.”

The Yankees did some slight tinkering with him and changed some stuff he was doing with the Red Sox.

“I’m throwing more sweepers and sinkers, and I throw a gyro slider, curveball, fastball, and splitter also,” Rodriguez Cruz told the media. “I’m putting more emphasis on using all of my pitches and trusting all of my stuff in any count.”

Rodriguez-Cruz has reached a career high in innings, and his fastball tops out at around 96-98 mph.

Watch out for Rodriguez-Cruz, who could be an intriguing option for Team Puerto Rico in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.