Andres Chavez
When the radar gun in Florida starts flashing three digits, people notice. It doesn’t matter if it’s a meaningless March afternoon. You see 101 mph and your neck snaps toward the mound. That’s exactly what happened on Friday when Yovanny Cruz stepped out for the Yankees.
The box score says the Yankees lost 7-6 to the Braves. Nobody cares about the score. What they care about is the 26-year-old kid who looked like he was throwing lightning bolts. Cruz threw 15 pitches, didn’t give up a hit, didn’t walk a soul, and sat down two batters on strikes. It was a hell of a debut for a guy who was essentially a footnote on a minor league transaction wire back in November.
The Velocity Is Genuinely Terrifying
Let’s talk about that sinker. It averaged 100.6 mph. It topped out at 101.5. In an era where everyone throws hard, that is still elite, top-shelf velocity that keeps hitters awake at night. He paired it with an 89.8 mph cutter that made professional hitters look like they were swinging garden hoses. He got two whiffs on that pitch alone.
The raw tools are undeniable. He has a four-seam fastball and a changeup in the bag, too. He’s 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, and he’s finally healthy. You can see why the Yankees took a flyer on him in November on a minor league deal. He’s the kind of project Matt Blake probably dreams about when he’s not busy fixing mechanics.
The Road Has Been Brutal
Cruz isn’t some fresh-faced teenager. He’s been around the block, and the block hasn’t been kind. He signed with the Cubs nearly a decade ago in 2016. Then the world shut down in 2020. Then his elbow blew out in 2021. Tommy John surgery is a thief that steals years of development, and Cruz paid his dues in the trainer’s room.
He bounced from the Padres system in 2024 to the Red Sox’s Double-A affiliate in Portland last year. The numbers there were a paradox. He posted a 3.03 ERA and struck out 72 guys in 59.1 innings. That’s the good stuff. The problem? He walked 44 batters. You cannot survive in the Bronx giving away free passes like they’re flyers for a Times Square comedy show.
The Verdict on the Gamble
High-octane relievers with zero control are the scratch-off tickets of Major League Baseball. Most of the time, you end up with a handful of silver dust and a losing ticket. Every once in a while, though, you hit the jackpot. The Yankees are betting they can find the strike zone with a guy who clearly has the arm to dominate.
He’s likely heading to Scranton or Somerset to start the year. His future isn’t about how hard he throws—we know he can melt the radar gun. It’s about whether he knows where the ball is going. If the command clicks, even a little bit, Brian Cashman just found a late-inning weapon for nothing. If not, he’s just another guy who throws 100 mph to the backstop. Friday suggested he might be the former in time.
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