BIG NEWS! IT'S ELMER TIME!

Yeah, I am excited and I am gonna write about it and follow this and hype this just as much as some other prospect that I refuse to name. It's Elmer Rodriguez time, y'all! It's a big deal.

I've been talking a lot about Elmer recently and for good reason. He has been damn good down in Triple-A and he has earned this opportunity. Today, we get to see Elmer make his major league debut in Arlington, Texas! Twitter at least shares my enthusiasm, this video was all over my feed.

The timing couldn't be more perfect. The Yankees decided to pitch Elmer in front of other starters because playing today keeps him close to his planned Triple-A start Tuesday. He stays close to schedule, the Yankees get an off day on Thursday and the stars align for an exciting debut. Aaron Boone thinks Elmer will get at least two starts as the Yankees wait on Carlos Rodon's return to the team. He made his first rehab start last week so now we get to see what the Yankees best pitching prospect.

Ever since the Yankees acquired Elmer from the Red Sox in a December 2024 trade for catcher Carlos Naravez, the Sox have been bragging about how good their new catcher has been doing. This trade has turned into a bigger trade than either side expected now that Narvaez has become Boston's primary catcher and finished sixth in the American League Rooking of the Year voting last season. Equally impressive, Elmer was once considered to be a mid-tier prospect knocking on Double-A's door and he has quickly climbed the ranks with an improved pitching arsenal that gives him a MLB opprtunity.

I like Elmer because he has a developed pitching arsenal. He doesn't rely on just one pitch and he can throw multiple pitches with conviction. His fastball isn't overpowering but he has good command and mixes them in with a changeup, slider, curveball and an occasional cutter. Scouts have also given good scouting reports on an above average sinker that induces a lot of ground ball action that I really would like to see for myself. He is no stranger to fooling hitters into hitting some ground balls and that talent in Yankee stadium would be a HUGE plus. 

It's been a long time since I have been this excited about a pitching prospect. In fact, if you may remember the Killer B's who were in the Yankees system from 2010-2011....it's been that long. We don't have a great history of developing pitchers. I am hoping Elmer changes that....

In fact I am hoping Elmer could be the glue that keeps this team together in the future. OKAY, no more corny jokes I promise, but I am really excited to see what this kid's got!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

THE YANKEES PROSPECT YOU SHOULD BE PAYING ATTENTION TO!

No, I am not talking about Spencer Jones. It's no secret by now I am OVER that guy. Casey digs him, I don't. NEXT.

So who is next? I'm watching Elmer Rodriguez. If you don't know who he is, he's the Yankees number three prospect who opened eyes at spring training. It was easy to watch that other guy who is overhyped. The real story just might be Elmer!

In all my time here, I have a history for getting excited about pitching prospects and Elmer is my latest. I am anxiously awaiting his next start to see how he builds upon his impressive start of the season. In three starts, he has pitched 15.2 innings, struck out 13 and has a ridiculous 1.15 ERA. In his last start he threw first pitch strikes to 17 of the 21 batters he faced. Yes, that gets me excited. 

Another thing that gets me excited, is when we can stead some good talent from Boston. We did that with Cam Schlittler and Elmer could be another good pick up. Schlittler popped on the scene in a big way last season and Elmer had a good season in the minors. In 27 games last season, he struck out 176 batters and held opponents to a .192 BA. He's got a good sinker in his pitching arsenal and all good things that give me tingles. Boston drafted him in the fourth round in 2021 and traded him to us in exchange for catcher Carlos Narvaez and that could pay dividends in the future.

It's early in the season, and he has more to prove in Triple-A but you never know what the Yankees may need later in the season. If he continues to progress, he could force the Yankees hand and make it impossible for the Yankees not to give him a call up. Right now a lot has to go wrong with Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon getting closer to return but there have been question marks with Luis Gil and his ability to be a reliable starter after he has regressed since his 2024 rookie season.

The Yankees have proven they are not shy about calling young studs up. We saw it last year with Schlittler, and if Elmer keeps pitching the way he is now the Yankees would be stupid not to give him a shot to help this team win the division.

Elmer's not ready yet, but he's getting closer and I like what I am seeing.
All eyes on Elmer!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

WELLS CAN'T SIT CAUSE THEIR BACKUP CATCHER SITUATION HAS DWINDLED

He needs to, cause Austin Wells isn’t good. The Yankees front office are a bunch of freaking idiots, aren't they? 

Look, Wells was OK last year and that is really where the story ended. But here we are, watching the Yankees try to sell us on the idea that this is their catcher of the future, while he continues to hit like a guy who should be managing a Shake Shack, not catching for the New York Yankees. No offense to anyone who manages as Shake Shack, you get my point.

And now the Yankees have a real problem. If they want to give Wells a rest—which, let’s be honest, he needs—they can’t. Why? Because they don’t actually have another real catcher on the roster. Tremendous planning. Bravo, Brian Cashman. Boy genius strikes again.

Let’s take a walk down memory lane, shall we? In recent seasons, the Yankees traded away Carlos Narváez, Agustín Ramírez, and Rafael Flores—all catchers with potential and actual functioning bats. And now? Now the Yankees are so thin at catcher, if Wells breaks a nail, which he will because he's soft, we might have to resurrect Jorge Posada from a beer league in Miami. 

Wells is already 25 and came into 2025 as a guy that Boone wanted to be a lead off.  That lasted about 2 games in the spring.  What's even a bigger joke is that Yankee projects analytics suggested he could be the next big thing. That had to be a joke, right?  He’s slashing .209/.268/.419 with a .687 OPS. And yes, he has 15 home runs, but that’s like sprinkling powdered sugar on a burnt waffle—it’s not fooling anyone.  Fans see how awful he is. And what's worse, he strikes out a lot, he doesn't walk much. 

I don't want to hear about Wells and his exit velocity... it is not helping him at the plate. His numbers tell the truth.  His 47.3% hard-hit rate DOES NOT MATTER. Why? I'll you why... because again, HIS PRODUCTION NUMBERS TELL THE TRUTH.  He has a better chance stepping on a rake than he does raking to a .250 average.

Now let's talk toughness, cause Austin Wells is no Thurman Munson. He’s not even Barry Foote. Watching Wells behind the plate is like watching a Roomba try to pick off a runner—it’s robotic, awkward, and painful. People gave Gary Sánchez a ton of grief for being clunky behind the dish, but Gary at least gave us some dingers and a little fire. With Wells, we’re just left wondering if he’s sleepwalking or waiting for a timeout that never comes.

Meanwhile, Carlos Narváez—who the Yankees gave away like a pair of old socks—is hitting .252/.323/.415 with a 105 OPS+ for the Red Sox, of all teams. That’s right. The Red Sox have our castoff catcher putting together quality at-bats while our starter is swinging at pitches like he’s trying to swat a mosquito.

And sure, the Yankees always Ben Rice. He’s got a .791 OPS, 16 home runs, and actual plate discipline. But let’s face it—Rice has been stretched thinner than a Boone postgame excuse. He WILL get hurt because he's all over the place. He’s playing everywhere, all the time. Boone uses him like duct tape. Problem is, he can’t be a reliable full-time catcher if he’s never actually catching full-time.

Oh, and remember a month ago when Wells was given a break "for wear and tear"? WEAR AND TEAR? Thurman Munson used to bleed pine tar and chew on foul tips for breakfast. Jorge Posada once caught a 13-inning game with one functioning knee. And Wells? He needs a breather after what, crouching for three days? That's Boone being overprotective and sensitive to Wells feelings. Give me a break, you catch for the New York Yankees. You want to want to be out there every day. 

Bottom line: the Yankees mismanaged the catching situation into oblivion. They got rid of all the decent backups, propped up a struggling starter, and now they’re caught with no safety net. Wells might have the bat speed of a prospect, but his results scream fourth-string backup. And unfortunately for us, there’s no help coming through that clubhouse door.

Yankee fans have gotten robbed this season and there is no end in sight. We are picking everything apart. Why? Because it's clear we don't have a serious franchise. That's the bottom line.

YANKEES MAY HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH JASSON DOMINGUEZ

Not gonna lie, the Martian has me worried a little bit lately. He doesn't look like he knows where he is. He looks empty out there. Does he realize he is playing in Major League games? The Yankees need to get him back on track fast or we've got a big fundamental problem. 

I get it, Jasson Dominguez is young and he is only going to get better. I'm not denying that but, he's making some rookie mistakes that just can't happen. The Red Sox series was a disaster for him. I can't get past his overthrow to second base when that could've been an out. Then he doesn't realize what the count is and decides to travel 10 feet off of second base and gets caught in la la land and gunned down by catcher Carlos Narvaez threw the ball behind him to Trevor Story who easily tossed the ball to third and tagged him out. That just CANNOT happen.

Gotta stay tuned into the game, know what is happening and what the counts are. This is a basic, something he also had to do in the minors and when he was first learning how to play the game. I just don't get it. This was a huge blunder to a very messy series that just made the sweep even worse for me. Now I just can't stop thinking about it.

Aaron Boone says he spoke with Dominguez after the game and reinforced how important it is to stay engaged in the game and know what is happening and when but, it doesn't make me feel better. He killed the rally and at the end of the clip Boone looks pissed. If he would jump on his players like he does umpires instead of coddling his players we'd see less stupidity like this. Boone is a coddler, he didn't give Dominguez the tough feedback he needed to hear. He's soft, which makes the entire team soft.

Maybe Giancarlo Stanton coming back is exactly what this Yankees team needs. It could give Trent Grisham some more playing time and take some pressure off of Dominguez because he's cracking under pressure. Boone could platoon them more, but just because Boone CAN doesn't mean he will of course. Dominguez can hit but he struggles with fielding and defense....and apparently cant run bases or count to three.

This is a problem, and the Yankees have to get Dominguez up to a consistent and contributing major league player. The lack of fundamentals is what will kill this team. The AL East may be very average this year....but the Yankees are struggling against an average division and now have a 3.5 game lead. This is what happens when things break down.

I'm at my wits end with this one....

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

CASHMAN HAS A PLAN FOR THE YANKEE CATCHING SURPLUS

I've been focused on two areas all winter. First, the need for more quality starting pitching and the second is more complex. My second concern is how to "fix" the same lineup from last season that couldn't hit with Juan Soto as the notable exception. I still think about these areas, but right now Brian Cashman is not.

Opening Day will be here before we know it and I am still thinking about the starting rotation and the offense. I know I am not alone, many of you reading this have said the same thing. Brian Cashman on the other hand, he's trying to spin something crazy. 

The Yankees have some roster questions to figure out as Spring Training winds down, read what the New York Post had to say about it HERE. The Yankees have five catchers on the 40-man roster, which is an interesting dilemma to have. The Yankees are familiar with Jose Trevino and Austin Wells has impressed the Yankees both defensively and offensively. I've liked what I've seen from Wells also. But what about the other three?

Agustin Ramirez and Carlos Narvaez need more time but have promise. The Yankees also have Ben Rortvedt and we've talked about him a lot. He's got potential. He was groomed to be a strong defensive catcher, but Wells has looked sharper lately and Rortvedt still needs work. I wasn't impressed to watch Rortvedt check out behind the plate with a ball five feet away from him that allowed two runners to score this weekend. Not a good time to make that kind of error. Pair that with his lack of offensive pop and he's not standing out as an easy add for the Opening Day roster.

So where do the Yankees go from here? Ben Rortvedt may need more time, but he is out of minor league options. So the Yankees either need to take a leap of faith and give him a spot, or expose him to waivers where someone will scoop him up. Cashman of course is trying to take advantage of this scenario and turn into a salesman. Here's what he had to say:

"It's certainly an area of depth. Everybody's actually done a great job showcasing their abilities, not just for us but for others. So clearly a dam is going to break one way or the other toward the end of camp, so we’ll see how we navigate that," said Cashman.

So, Cashman is waiting for someone to pay up for a catcher....and get what out of it? Who knows, but Cashman is definitely trying to drum up more interest than he has right now. His choice of words also makes me laugh at him hysterically.

I do like his dam analogy for something else though....I am sitting, hoping and waiting for his dam of failures to finally break and get washed away from the Yankees. Let Hal Steinbrenner fire him. Let him get carried away to somewhere else far, far away. I know I won't get that lucky though soon enough. 

The Yankees catcher situation will be solved before Cashman goes away. It's unfortunate but, a girl can dream. 

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

YANKEE NEWS ON THE TRANSACTIONS WIRE!

The Transactions wire is where all the news starts for these teams and goes to the writers. I mean sure, you can look at Twitter and guys like Jon Heyman and Jon Morosi will tweet something about a team, but typically they know this stuff just because they got to the transaction wire before everyone else that day.  

Now there are times where guys get an inside scoop and that often comes from highly respected guys like Jeff Passan and Jack Curry, but for the most part, that's how it works. 

I remember feeling really cool back in 2015 when I got a scoop early about Clay Rapada. I remember at that time when I was the first to report on Clay Rapada signing with the Giants, a minor league deal. MLB Trade Rumors took it upon themselves to report who got it first and of course, botched it.  It was Greedy Pinstripes who gave them jazz on our behalf, (Love those guys) and it was soon corrected.  

Here's that story, one of my victories from back in the day.

MLB Trade Rumors has always been top notch and that's the business they are in. I'm not in that game... I'm just telling you how the Transaction wire works.

That being said, here's some Yankee news you need to know about. The Yankees have activated Domingo German, Greg Weissert and they invited Catcher Carlos Narvaez.

In 2022, German had a 3.61 ERA in 15 games.  I was never a big fan of Weissert when he first showed up in pinstripes, but he's growing on me. Weissert is from Bay Shore, so there's that hometown feel with him, and it appears the Yankees like him.

When it comes to Narvaez, he's a catcher, something we always need and he's working his way up the ranks. Yanks go Yard has a great write up on him:

"In terms of halting the running game, Narvaéz is the best in the Yankees' system below the surface.

Second place throughout the system goes to Antonio Gomez, the 21-year-old who ranks No. 5 on Keith Law's latest surprising list of top prospects, and who got his season back on track midway through en route to looking like a 2023 breakout candidate. He caught a nothing-to-sneeze-at 30.6% of runners last season, but Narvaéz, a surprise name on very few radars, cleared him by a nice margin.

Hopefully, subbing in Narvaéz in the late innings of the Yankees' spring training showdowns becomes standard practice -- you know, baking in the now-guaranteed Ben Rortvedt injury."

Yankee Spring Training is right around the corner. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited! Let's GO!!