The Yankees’ pitching pipeline has already started to matter in a big way this season, and Xavier Rivas is the latest arm pushing his way into the conversation.
New York has gotten help from prospects like Elmer Rodriguez, Spencer Jones, Yovanny Cruz, and George Lombard Jr., who made his long-awaited debut earlier this week and has looked the part so far. Carlos Lagrange is the other name Yankees fans are still waiting on this year, and while he has the kind of stuff that could fit either a rotation or bullpen role, the expectation is that New York would use him in relief when his call-up comes.
Rivas, though, is beginning to look like a real name to file away for 2027.
The 24-year-old left-hander is the No. 21 prospect in the Yankees’ system, according to MLB Pipeline, and he’s been turning heads at Double-A Somerset. At 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds, Rivas was selected in the 16th round of the 2024 MLB June Amateur Draft, and he spent the whole 2026 season with the Patriots after moving quickly through Rookie ball, Single-A, and High-A last year. That climb came after he missed his final college season at Ole Miss because of Tommy John surgery.
The results in Somerset have been strong. Rivas is 6-4 with a 3.65 ERA in 19 appearances, including 15 starts.
In 81 ⅓ innings, he has allowed 51 hits, 41 walks, and 14 home runs while striking out 114 batters. He’s also held opponents to a .176 average.
His recent run has been even more eye-catching. Over his last 10 starts for Somerset, Rivas has been on a heater, and his most recent outing came earlier this week against Akron. Against the RubberDucks, he worked six innings, allowed four hits, three walks, and two earned runs, and struck out six.
Ryan Garcia of Empire Sports Media reported that Rivas owns a 1.45 ERA over his last 10 appearances. Greg Johnson of The Trentonian added that he has given up two runs or fewer in that span.
Yankees' LHP prospect Xavier Rivas in his last 10 appearances (AA, Somerset):1.45 ERA | 34.9% K% | 23.3% K-BB% | 15.7% SwStr% pic.twitter.com/xmXP25RPwb
The numbers get even more interesting when you dig underneath the surface. Rivas is doing this with a fastball that sits 90 to 92 mph, plus a changeup and slider in the low 80s.
According to Prospect Savant, his strikeout rate is 34.3%, which ranks in the 90th percentile. His whiff rate is 35.7%, good for the 86th percentile, and his swinging strike rate is 15/.14%, which sits in the 82nd percentile.
Opponents are also batting .227 on balls in play against him this season, down from .237 last year in the minors.
That profile raises a fair question about his long-term role. Rivas’ stuff may not translate as a starter in the majors over the long haul, but it could make him a useful middle-inning reliever for the Yankees.
If he keeps this up, a finish at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and a Spring Training invite at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla., are both in play. And if that happens, Rivas could be another arm in the mix to help the Yankees in 2027, alongside Rodriguez and Brendan Beck.
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