Right-handed pitcher Yovanny Cruz, whose fastball has been clocked at 102 mph, becomes the second New York Yankees pitching prospect to join the team from their arch-rivals, the Boston Red Sox. But unlike No. 3 overall prospect Elmer Rodriguez who came over in a trade for catcher Carlos Narvaez, the Yankees got Cruz from the Red Sox for free.
In his Triple-A debut in the Yankees organization, Cruz showed the Yankees and their fans that he appears to be worth much more than they gave up for him. At age 26, he was pitching his first game at the minor leagues’ highest level after nine years as a pro. Cruz dominated. Throwing the final two innings of a 5-4, 10-inning Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders victory over the Buffalo Bisons, the new Yankees pitcher allowed no earned runs with just one hit and a walk against three strikeouts.
“On an ice-cold day in Buffalo where even Carlos Lagrange couldn’t reach his top heat, Yovanny Cruz showed exactly why Yankees fans wish he’d arrived at spring training a little bit earlier and a little bit healthier,” wrote Adam Weinrib of Yanks Go Yard, of the electrifying Cruz outing.
In the 10th, Cruz “threw 14 pitches. Six were at least 99.0 mph — three were 100.0 or better — and he got six swings and misses on seven swings,” reported Conor Foley of the YES Network.
Acquired for nothing more than the price of a minor league contract, Cruz is suddenly raising questions about his potential role in the Yankees’ big league bullpen.
How Did Yovanny Cruz Come to the Yankees?
At age 17, Cruz signed with the Chicago Cubs as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic, for a modest bonus of $60,000. But after six seasons without the Cubs promoting him above the High-A level, Cruz exercised his right to elect free agency.
The right-hander signed with the San Diego Padres in November 2023, but lasted just a single season with the San Antonio Missions, the Padres Double-A affiliate, where he got into 23 games with an unremarkable 4.55 ERA over 29 2/3 innings.
Cruz tried free agency again and this time landed with Boston, who sent him to their Double-A team, the Portland Sea Dogs. There, Cruz pitched well, lowering his ERA to 3.03 over 59 1/3 innings. But allowing 44 walks was his downfall. After the season, the Red Sox made no effort to retain Cruz despite a hard sinking fastball that “topped out at 101.5,” according to Andres Chavez of Empire Sports Media.
He elected free agency for the third time. That’s when the Yankees scooped him up.
How Did Cruz Perform in Spring Training?
Injuries delayed Cruz’s ability to pitch in spring training games, essentially ending his quest to make the Yankees’ Opening Day roster before it began.
“But when he did first appear, he lit up both radar guns and eyes throughout the ballpark. In an instant, his potential became undeniable, dotting hundreds and 99s with pinpoint precision,” recounted Weinrib. “Suddenly, our collective lack of familiarity didn’t matter; Cruz was not a want but a need in the big-league bullpen. It reached the point where Aaron Boone had to address his arrival by essentially saying, ‘I mean, he’s not going to make the roster after two innings, but … yeah, we all see it, too.'”
Cruz ended up pitching four innings in spring training, striking out six and giving up no runs on two hits. He walked only one.
Yankees talent evaluators are sure to be keeping a close eye on Cruz’s upcoming outings for the RailRiders, and if he can maintain the electricity on display in his debut, and in his brief spring training, the flamethrowing Red Sox castoff could end up in the bullpen at Yankee Stadium sometime during the 2026 season.
Red Sox Gave Yankees This 102-MPH Arm for Free — Fans Can’t Believe His Debut