Greenville Drive Mailbag: Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz making the most of his promotion
After a strong start to the season in Low-A, Red Sox prospect Elmer-Rodriguez Cruz earned a promotion to High-A on July 23rd. The 21-year-old has continued to frustrate hitters for Greenville and has seen his stock rise. In a farm system stocked with hitting talent, Cruz has started to make a name for himself.
Through five starts for the Drive, Cruz has posted a 3.20 ERA and recorded 14 strikeouts. He has held opponents to a .203 batting average, three points lower than his time with Salem. Against more advanced competition, the 21-year-old does not look overmatched.
While the talented right-hander has a small sample size, he has been able to limit hard contact. Since being promoted, he has allowed two home runs, both of which came in the same game. Besides that, he has been able to limit damage when runners reach base and pitched at least five innings twice, recording a win in both outings.
With the 2024 campaign entering its final month, MLB.com ranks Cruz as the 17th-best prospect in the Red Sox system. His MLB debut is not projected to come until 2026, but he has made adjustments at every level and has been an effective starter. That is partly due to a pitch mix that has taken steps forward.
His arsenal includes a fastball that topped out at 98 in April after only reaching 95 last season. To keep hitters off balance, Cruz can also mix in a slider that has also gained velocity this year to pair with a curveball that locates well. Due to his ability to mix speeds, hitters have had difficulty barreling up Cruz’s pitches.
Although Cruz may not be a prospect on everyone’s radar, he has put together another solid year in the Red Sox system. As a result, he is one step closer to the majors and could be in Double-A sooner rather than later. That has been an encouraging sign for the Red Sox, as Cruz has smoothly moved into the Drives’ rotation and showed why he deserved a promotion.
