Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz Named MiLB’s Eastern League Pitcher of the Week September 1-7
Bridgewater, New Jersey – Minor League Baseball has named Somerset Patriots RHP Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz as the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week for games played September 1-7.
Bridgewater, New Jersey – Minor League Baseball has named Somerset Patriots RHP Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz as the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week for games played September 1-7.
Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz (@Yankees No. 5 prospect) takes over the active @MiLB strikeout lead with eight strikeouts, making for 166 K on the season.
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) September 7, 2025
In two starts this week, ERC struck out 16 batters over 11.0 scoreless innings pitched! pic.twitter.com/pYHayCqDQN
In two starts this week, Rodriguez-Cruz went 1-0 allowing 0 R, 3 H, 2 BB and recording 16 K in 11.0 IP. Rodriguez-Cruz posted a 0.45 WHIP and a .086 against New Hampshire for the week.
The Yankees No. 5 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, is 10-7 with a 2.38 ERA and 166 K in 140 IP in 2025. He became the active MiLB leader with his 166 K and leads all Yankees minor league pitchers in IP (140), BA (.183), tied for the lead in WHIP (1.04) and GS (24), second in ERA (2.38) and third in W (10).
Since joining Somerset on 7/11/25, Rodriguez-Cruz has seven games with 7+ K and has back-to-back games with 8 K.
Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz (@Yankees No. 5 prospect) was nearly UNHITTABLE in his ninth Double-A start.
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) September 3, 2025
Final Line: 6.0 IP | 1 H | 0 R | 1 BB | 8 K🔥 pic.twitter.com/UiLW8w6pcY
Originally drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 4th round of the 2021 MLB Draft, the Yankees acquired Rodriguez-Cruz and future considerations in a trade with Boston for C Carlos Narvaez.
He has a minor league career 21-18 record with 361 K over 323.1IP in 73 games (88 starts).
Rodriguez-Cruz is the sixth Somerset Patriot this season to receive MiLB Awards. He joins Pitchers of the Week Brendan Beck (4/14 – 4/20) and Trent Sellers (7/28 – 8/3), Players of the Week Spencer Jones (6/16 – 6/22) and Brendan Jones (7/7 – 7/13), as well as Pitcher of the Month Carlos Lagrange (July).
About the Somerset Patriots
The Somerset Patriots are the New York Yankees Double-A Affiliate and develop today’s top minor league talent into the pinstriped superstars of tomorrow for MLB’s winningest team. The Patriots were named Baseball America’s 2024 Freitas Award winner for Double-A Organization of the Year. Home games are played at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, NJ, where fans of all ages and levels of baseball fandom get to enjoy the unique experience that is minor league baseball. The 2025 season is presented by New Jersey Office Systems. To learn more, visit: somersetpatriots.com.