Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz Named MiLB's Eastern League Pitcher of the Week September 1-7
Published on September 8, 2025 under Eastern League (EL)
Somerset Patriots News Release
Somerset Patriots pitcher Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz delivers
(Somerset Patriots)
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.
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.
Originally drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 4 th 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).
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 Somerset Patriots pitcher Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz delivers |
Eastern League Stories from September 8, 2025
- Phillies Prospects Dante Nori and Aroon Escobar Promoted to Double-A Reading - Reading Fightin Phils
- Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz Named MiLB's Eastern League Pitcher of the Week September 1-7 - Somerset Patriots
- Felix Reyes Named Eastern League Player of the Week - Reading Fightin Phils
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