Scouting Report

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Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 50 | Overall: 50

Cunningham had sporadic success in his first two years at Vanderbilt, recording a 6.33 ERA as a swingman. He was much more effective as a starter in the Cape Cod League, making two all-star game appearances and winning a pair of championships with Bourne. The summer version of Cunningham has shown up more often this spring as he has taken a step forward with his stuff and command, secured a rotation spot and worked his way into the top two rounds.

While Cunningham's mid-90s fastball velocity with a peak of 97 mph is nothing new, he's doing a better job of locating his heater and keeping it off barrels with carry up in the zone. It plays extremely well with one of the best swing-and-miss changeups in college baseball, a hard upper-80s cambio that plummets at the plate. His sweeping mid-80s slider is an effective third offering.

Improving his strength and athleticism has helped Cunningham do a better job of repeating his clean delivery. He's throwing more strikes and maintaining his stuff deeper into games. He exhibits the upside of a No. 2 or 3 starter and unlocking a better slider could help him get there.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 50 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45

Cunningham thrived much more as a Cape Cod League starter than he did as a Vanderbilt swingman in his first two college seasons, then blossomed into the Commodores' top starter in 2024. He featured some of the best pitch metrics that spring before the Yankees floated him down to the second round and signed him for a well over-slot $2,297,500. He had a mixed pro debut in 2025, compiling a 1.93 ERA in his first eight outings in High-A before missing three months with shoulder inflammation, then getting rocked when he returned in August and in the Arizona Fall League.

Cunningham's best pitch is clearly his upper-80s changeup with so much fade and sink that it's as difficult to control as it is to hit, so there are times when he doesn't trust it. His fastball lost a couple of ticks of velocity last year, sitting at 92-94 mph and peaking at 96, and it didn't have the same carry he showed as a Vanderbilt junior. His sweeping mid-80s slider serves as an average third pitch but was his most effective offering in the AFL.

After improving his strength and athleticism in his final year in college, Cunningham began repeating his delivery more efficiently and providing more strikes. He looked like a mid-rotation starter in the first half of last season but wasn't the same following his shoulder issues. If he's fully healthy in 2026, he could move quickly.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 50 | Overall: 50

During his first two years in college, Cunningham had much more success as a Cape Cod League starter (two all-star game appearances, two championships with Bourne) than he did as a Vanderbilt swingman (6.33 ERA). He emerged as the Commodores' best starter in 2024, as his stuff and command improved and he displayed some of the best pitch metrics in college baseball. After New York floated him down to the 53rd overall pick and signed him for a well-over-slot $2,297,500 bonus, he'll make his pro debut in 2025.

Cunningham works with a mid-90s fastball that tops out at 97 mph, and he learned last spring to more consistently avoid barrels by locating it up in the zone with quality carry. The shape of his heater plays extremely well with his hard upper-80s changeup that fades and sinks so much that it can be difficult to land for strikes. His sweeping mid-80s slider gives him an effective third pitch -- one that the Yankees specialize in refining.

Cunningham improved his strength and athleticism as a Vanderbilt junior, which enabled him to repeat his clean delivery more easily. In turn, he provided a lot more strikes and maintained his stuff deeper into games. If New York can upgrade his slider, he could become the system's best pitching prospect.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 50 | Overall: 50

Cunningham recorded a 6.33 ERA as a swingman during his first two years at Vanderbilt but was much more effective as a starter in the Cape Cod League, making two all-star game appearances and winning a pair of championships with Bourne. The summer version showed up more this spring as he took a step forward with his stuff and command and enthralled analysts with some of the best pitch metrics in college baseball. The Yankees were delighted to float him down to the 53rd overall pick and sign him for a well-over-slot $2,297,500.

While Cunningham's mid-90s fastball velocity with a peak of 97 mph was nothing new, he did a better job of locating his heater and keeping it off barrels with carry at the letters. It played extremely well with one of the best swing-and-miss changeups in the Draft, a hard upper-80s cambio with so much fade and sink that he has trouble landing it in the zone. His sweeping mid-80s slider is an effective third offering.

Improving his strength and athleticism has helped Cunningham do a better job of repeating his clean delivery. That allowed him to throw more strikes and maintain his stuff deeper into games. He exhibits the upside of a No. 2 or 3 starter and unlocking a better slider -- something New York specializes in -- could help him get there.

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	03/05/2026	RHP Bryce Cunningham assigned to New York Yankees Prospects.
	09/10/2025	RHP Bryce Cunningham assigned to Mesa Solar Sox.
	08/13/2025	Hudson Valley Renegades activated RHP Bryce Cunningham from the 7-day injured list.
	06/09/2025	Hudson Valley Renegades placed RHP Bryce Cunningham on the 7-day injured list.
	06/04/2025	Hudson Valley Renegades activated RHP Bryce Cunningham from the 7-day injured list.
	03/31/2025	RHP Bryce Cunningham assigned to Hudson Valley Renegades from FCL Yankees.
	03/31/2025	Hudson Valley Renegades placed RHP Bryce Cunningham on the 7-day injured list.
	03/06/2025	activated RHP Bryce Cunningham.
	08/05/2024	RHP Bryce Cunningham assigned to FCL Yankees.
	07/22/2024	New York Yankees signed RHP Bryce Cunningham.
	06/16/2024	College Workout activated RHP Bryce Cunningham.
	02/25/2024	RHP Bryce Cunningham assigned to Vanderbilt Commodores.
	06/09/2023	Bourne Braves activated RHP Bryce Cunningham.
	02/08/2023	RHP Bryce Cunningham assigned to Vanderbilt Commodores.