The Yankees made another round of spring training roster cuts, sending infielder Roderick Arias and right-handed pitcher Cam Schlittler to minor league camp. Both players showed promise during their brief time with the big-league club but still have key areas of development to address before they’re ready for an MLB debut.
Arias’ High Upside Comes with Growing Pains
Arias, just 20 years old, remains one of the Yankees’ more intriguing prospects. A highly touted international signing from the Dominican Republic in 2022, he’s still raw but packed with potential. Last season in Low-A, he flashed power and speed, hitting .233/.335/.393 with 13 home runs, 74 RBIs, and 37 stolen bases over 124 games. The athletic switch-hitter brings a lot to the table, but there’s no question that his plate discipline needs refining.
The 31% strikeout rate he posted last year was already a concern, and that number spiked even higher in a small spring training sample. In just five games and seven plate appearances, Arias hit .429 but struck out 42.9% of the time, a glaring issue that will need to be addressed in the minors.
The Yankees want him to tighten up his approach before making the jump to High-A Hudson Valley. If he can cut down on the swing-and-miss tendencies, his combination of power, speed, and defensive versatility could put him on a fast track to the upper levels of the farm system.
Schlittler Impresses but Needs More Experience
Schlittler, a 24-year-old righty, quietly put together a solid minor league season in 2023 and showed well in his brief spring training outings. The former seventh-round pick out of Northeastern logged 120.2 innings across multiple levels last year, with most of his work coming at High-A Hudson Valley, where he posted an impressive 2.60 ERA over 86.2 innings.
This spring, he pitched just 4.1 innings but posted a 2.08 ERA, proving he could handle big-league hitters in short bursts. While he’s still a bit of a project, the Yankees clearly see value in his ability to generate weak contact and keep the ball in the park. With more refinement in Double-A Somerset, he could work his way into the depth conversation as early as late 2025.
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Next Steps
For Arias, the focus will be on cutting down strikeouts and proving he can handle more advanced pitching. If he can make those adjustments, his natural tools give him one of the highest ceilings in the Yankees’ farm system.
Schlittler, meanwhile, will continue to build on his success at the lower levels and could emerge as a sleeper prospect for a bullpen role down the line. The Yankees have plenty of pitching depth, but a strong showing in Double-A could get him into the mix sooner rather than later.