NEW YORK — The New York Yankees have long been known for trading away young talent to acquire veterans. That approach is shifting. With Cam Schlittler already making his presence felt in the majors and several high-end prospects rising, the organization now sees its farm as a pipeline for sustainable success.
Five arms with ace-level potential emerge
While Schlittler has already broken through in the majors, the Yankees system keeps producing arms with frontline potential. Sam Briend, the team’s director of pitching, believes this group could be special.
“They might all be number ones,” Briend said. “The ceiling is so high on all four of those guys. They’re so talented, you really have no idea where their ceiling is actually at.”
The Yankees showed faith in their arms by holding on to them at the trade deadline. They moved seven pitchers, including Griffin Herring, Gage Ziehl, and Ben Shields, but kept their top prospects.
“I’m really happy that we kept a lot of our horses,” Briend said. “I’m glad we didn’t see those boys go. Keeping those arms is great.”
Carlos Lagrange brings electric stuff to Somerset
Carlos Lagrange, 22, stands at 6-foot-7 and is widely considered the crown jewel of the Yankees’ system. The Dominican right-hander has gone 9-6 with a 3.95 ERA this year, striking out 142 hitters in 100.1 innings while allowing only seven home runs.
His high-velocity arsenal has drawn comparisons to Luis Gil. Like Gil, Lagrange must refine his command, but he has shown big strides in controlling the running game and maintaining composure.
“His walks in previous years were really a problem and then he addressed the delivery with us this offseason,” Briend said. “Anytime this kid gets into an adverse situation, he always responds positively. The makeup component, I think, just makes him completely different than most guys.”
Rodriguez-Cruz emerges as polished veteran presence
Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz joined the Yankees in December 2024 after a deal with Boston. At only 22, he has quickly become one of the most reliable pitchers in the farm.
He holds a 9-5 record with a 2.18 ERA, striking out 137 batters in 119.2 innings. He has yielded just two home runs all season. His mix of command and swing-and-miss stuff makes him stand out.
“He’s a control pitcher and then he’s got the velo,” Briend said. “He can do almost anything he wants with a baseball. He’s starting to refine the pitch package more. I still think there’s massive upside in him that hasn’t even really been fully approached yet.”
Ben Hess adds power arm to Double-A rotation
The Yankees drafted Ben Hess in the first round of 2024. The Alabama right-hander has adapted quickly. Splitting time between High-A and Double-A, he has gone 4-4 with a 3.53 ERA and 109 strikeouts in 81.2 innings.
At 6-foot-5 and 255 pounds, Hess brings size and strength. He recently added a sweeper to his mix of fastball, changeup, and curveball, giving him a putaway pitch against righties.
“He really needed that miss putaway pitch to a righty,” Briend said. “Right now it’s like a 50% miss and roughly like a 38% miss-in-zone pitch. So I think he’s found it.”
Cunningham returns from injury with high ceiling
Bryce Cunningham, the Yankees’ 2024 second-round pick, is working his way back from shoulder inflammation. Before the injury, the Vanderbilt product went 5-1 with a 1.88 ERA in 48 innings.
Scouts remain high on his ceiling. His polish and advanced feel could push him quickly once he is back at full strength.
“He’s got as good stuff as anybody, and knows how to pitch really well,” Hess said. “I think for him, it’s just about getting back up on the mound, and doing what he had been doing.”
Kyle Carr’s remarkable turnaround fuels rapid rise
On Tuesday, the Yankees promoted left-handed pitcher Kyle Carr to Double-A Somerset. The move strengthens what is now the deepest minor league rotation the Yankees have built in years.
Carr has authored one of the most remarkable stretches in Yankees minor league history. On May 27, his ERA stood at 4.14. Since then, he has gone on a run few pitchers achieve. Over his last 82.1 innings, he owns a 0.98 ERA, giving up only nine earned runs and striking out 79.
The Yankees selected Carr in the third round of the 2023 draft out of Palomar Junior College. In 46 minor league starts, he has a 3.26 ERA and 199 strikeouts across 223.1 innings.
This season, he ranks among the organization’s leaders in nearly every category: a 1.96 ERA, .190 opponent average, and 1.07 WHIP.
Carr, ranked as the No. 13 prospect in the system by MLB Pipeline, earned the call after shining for High-A Hudson Valley. His ERA leads all Yankees pitchers in the minors.
The promotion places him in Somerset alongside Carlos Lagrange (No. 2), Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz (No. 5), Ben Hess (No. 6), and Brock Selvidge (No. 10). That gives Somerset a rotation stacked with five top-15 organizational arms.
Perfect. Here’s a clean AP-style stat table for the Yankees’ pitching prospects through Sept. 5, 2025. You can drop it right into the article for added SEO and readability:
Yankees top pitching prospects 2025 stats (through Sept. 5, 2025)
| Player | Level(s) | Record | ERA | IP | SO | Notes |
| Kyle Carr | High-A | 8–6 | 1.96 | 119.1 | 104 | Promoted to Double-A Somerset |
| Carlos Lagrange | Double-A | 9–6 | 3.95 | 100.1 | 142 | Electric stuff, refining command |
| Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz | Double-A | 9–5 | 2.18 | 119.2 | 137 | Reliable, polished approach |
| Ben Hess | High-A/Double-A | 4–4 | 3.53 | 81.2 | 109 | Added sweeper to arsenal |
| Bryce Cunningham | High-A | 5–1 | 1.88 | 48.0 | N/A | Shoulder injury, rehabbing |
Organization builds depth for future success
Somerset earned Baseball America’s 2024 Freitas Award as Double-A Organization of the Year, a nod to strong development and instruction.
The concentration of talent at Somerset now is unprecedented. Having five top-15 arms in one rotation fosters competition and accelerates growth.
With Schlittler already proving prospects can step right into the majors, the Yankees’ future is tied to the progress of Lagrange, Rodriguez-Cruz, Hess, Cunningham, and Carr. The stakes are clear. These arms could be the group that carries New York back to World Series glory.
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