Carlos Rodon, a left-hander from the New York Yankees, has progressed his rehab from minor elbow surgery to face hitters for the first time, throwing 20 competitive pitches to non-roster hitters before a night game against the Pirates. This progress is significant as Rodon's 92-94-mph fastball velocity was a few ticks up from his bullpens and he looked good. His next step is another live BP, possibly another, and possibly another before he can play in one of the two exhibitions the Yankees play in Scottsdale, Ariz., just prior to their March 25 season opener in San Francisco. Despite speculation that Rodon might be back in their rotation very early in the season, Rodon insists there have been no setbacks and he is ready at his own pace.