The New York Yankees have promoted Puerto Rico-born prospect Elmer Rodriguez to the Major League roster, where he will start the Yankees’ Wednesday afternoon game against the Texas Rangers.
Rodriguez, 22, has made four starts with the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, throwing 21 1/3 innings with a 1.27 ERA with 20 strikeouts and seven walks. He made one start for Puerto Rico at the 2026 World Baseball Classic, throwing three scoreless innings against Cuba with three strikeouts and one hit. He was a fourth round choice of the Boston Red Sox in the 2021 MLB Draft and played in their organization through 2024 before being acquired by the Yankees in December of that year along with future considerations in exchange for catcher Carlos Narvaez.
Ranked the No. 3 prospect in the Yankees’ organization and No. 72 overall by MLB Pipeline, he’ll take the spot of Luis Gil on the Yankees’ roster. Gil was optioned to Triple-A yesterday after the righty struggled to a 6.05 ERA across his first four starts, allowing 13 runs on 15 hits in 19 1/3 innings, striking out nine nad walking 11.
Rodriguez will face former Yankee Nathan Eovaldi (2-4, 5,79 ERA) in his first MLB start Wednesday at 2:35 p.m. EDT.
Photo: Elmer Rodriguez pitches in the first inning against Cuba during a World Baseball Classic game in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Monday, March 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
