Yankees’ Pitching Future Shines Bright in the Arizona Desert

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New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman

In the desert of Mesa, Arizona, the New York Yankees’ pitching pipeline is quietly sending a message: the future looks very bright.

Two of the organization’s promising arms and Top 30 prospects — Bryce Cunningham (No. 5) and Cade Smith (No. 19) — are logging innings in the Arizona Fall League (AFL) for the Mesa Solar Sox, and the early returns have the Yankees’ front office nodding with approval. Between Smith’s refined breaking ball and Cunningham’s power repertoire, the two young Yankees arms are showing why the club’s developmental staff has reason to be optimistic.

Cade Smith Dominates With Spin and Precision

For Smith, this stretch in Arizona feels more like a coming-out party than a tune-up. The 23-year-old right-hander, selected by New York in the sixth round of the 2023 draft out of Mississippi State, arrived in pro ball without the same fanfare as some of his peers, but he’s earning attention the old-fashioned way — by missing bats and commanding the zone.

Smith’s performance in the desert has been electric. In one of his first starts for the Solar Sox, Smith retired the first eleven hitters he faced, striking out five over 3.2 innings and surrendering just one hit.

The swings and misses weren’t flukes, either. His breaking arsenal has been generating eye-popping whiff rates, with both his slider and curveball spinning north of 2,600 RPM and forcing hitters to chase pitches that look hittable until the final few feet.

That kind of dominance has carried over from a 2025 season that showed just how much polish Smith has added in a short time. Across three levels — from rookie ball to High-A Hudson Valley — he posted a 2.50 ERA over nearly 40 innings, allowing just 24 hits.

The Yankees clearly see something sustainable here. He isn’t the archetype of a flamethrower who overpowers hitters with raw velocity. Instead, Smith thrives on precision, deception, and an ability to keep hitters guessing. That approach, paired with an emerging strikeout pitch, makes him one of those rare arms who could profile as either a mid-rotation starter or a swingman capable of giving multiple innings out of the bullpen.

What’s certain is that his performance in the AFL has elevated his standing within the organization. If he keeps this up, a Double-A assignment to open 2026 feels like the next logical step, and the distance from there to the Bronx suddenly doesn’t seem so long.

Bryce Cunningham Puts Shoulder Issues in the Past With AFL Starts

Cunningham, meanwhile, represents a different kind of intrigue.

The Yankees’ second-round pick in 2024 out of Vanderbilt, Cunningham has always drawn attention for his build and arsenal — a 6-foot-5, 230-pound right-hander with the kind of power stuff that can anchor a rotation. What the Yankees are seeing this fall isn’t just about results; it’s about restoration.

After shoulder issues limited his workload during the 2025 season, the Fall League has given Cunningham a chance to stretch out again and show that the arm strength and command are returning. Early reports have been encouraging. His changeup, which already graded out as one of the best in his draft class, has been sharp, setting up a fastball that regularly touches the mid-90s. It’s the kind of combination that can keep left-handers guessing and right-handers uncomfortable.

Cunningham’s professional track record is short but promising. In his first season with High-A Hudson Valley, he went 5-3 with a 2.82 ERA across 54.1 innings, striking out 55 while allowing only 42 hits. The numbers hinted at the upside before the injury hit pause on his progress.

The Yankees haven’t rushed him back — and this AFL assignment is as much about innings management as it is about competition. The focus is on consistency, on repeating his delivery and rebuilding his stamina.

Still, anyone who’s seen Cunningham pitch knows what the ceiling looks like. The fastball-changeup pairing has real major league potential, and when he mixes in his breaking stuff with confidence, he can look every bit the part of a future rotation piece.

The Yankees’ pitching system has often been labeled top-heavy, reliant on high draft picks or international signings to deliver results. But what’s happening in Arizona suggests a different story — one built on development, patience, and refinement.

Smith is proving that polish and command can be just as valuable as flash; Cunningham is showing that recovery doesn’t have to mean regression. Together, they represent the kind of depth the Yankees have been trying to cultivate for years, the sort that can eventually ease the pressure on a major league rotation built on veterans and payroll.

Dave Benson is a veteran writer with over three decades of journalism experience covering sports primarily in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Dave is also a licensed English teacher and spent several years teaching at the middle school level. More about Dave Benson