Elmer Rodríguez is being slightly stingy on the mound at Triple-A, and the kicker is he is utilizing a large assortment of pitches to take action.
The Yankees’ No. 3 prospect, who has allowed simply three earned runs over 21 1/3 innings this season, turned in one other strong begin Wednesday for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Rodríguez allowed a run on three hits and a stroll whereas putting out a season-high seven in 5 2/3 frames within the RailRiders’ 2-0 loss to Rochester at PNC Discipline.
MLB’s No. 72 prospect utilized his full arsenal, turning to his fastball, slider and sinker all through the beginning. Rodríguez’s 60-grade fastball sat within the mid-90s and topped out at 95.9 mph, producing a 50 p.c chase charge.
Rodríguez’s mid-90s sinker flashed good run, averaging 16.6 inches of horizontal break (the MLB common is round 15-17). The providing’s armside motion has helped the 22-year-old righty induce tender contact and preserve the ball on the bottom, as he sports activities a 55.6 p.c ground-ball charge in 2026.
COMPLETE YANKEES PROSPECT COVERAGE
Rodríguez’s 1.27 ERA ranks twelfth amongst hurlers who’ve pitched at the least 10 innings within the Worldwide League this season. This comes on the heels of a ’25 marketing campaign by which he posted a 54.5 p.c ground-ball charge (tops amongst all Yankees Minor Leaguers with at the least 50 IP) and allowed simply three homers.
The best providing of his outing, although, was the Puerto Rico native’s slider. It generated 4 whiffs and a 36.4 p.c chase charge on the night time. Sitting within the mid-80s, it flashed good two-plane tilt, and this yr has flummoxed hitters en path to a 40 p.c whiff charge.
Whereas thrown simply 10 instances on Wednesday, Rodríguez’s 55-grade curveball has additionally been a plus providing for him. The mid-70s spinner checks in simply behind the slider when it comes to swing-and-miss on the yr with a 38.1 p.c whiff charge.
Rodríguez has executed effectively to construct off a 2025 marketing campaign by which the 6-foot-4, 177-pounder rose from Excessive-A Hudson Valley to Triple-A. Final season, he ranked second in all of Minor League Baseball with 176 strikeouts and eighth in ERA (2.58). His 29 p.c Ok charge marked a profession excessive.
Rodríguez’s stuff has taken a step ahead since then with each the four-seamer and the sinker now moving into the higher 90s, topping out at 99 mph. A part of that may be attributed to Rodríguez persevering with to fill out his body. Regardless of his measurement and lengthy arms, the 2021 fourth-round choice’s movement has been repeatable.
Over his final 21 begins courting again to final yr, Rodríguez sports activities a 2.07 ERA, a 2.64 FIP, and a 28.6 p.c Ok charge towards simply an 8.9 p.c BB charge.
