TAMPA, FL — Carlos Lagrange has come a long way—signing with the Yankees in 2022 for $10,000 out of Bayaguana, Dominican Republic—to now being the organization’s top pitching prospect.
The 22-year-old right-hander has already been impressive in Spring Training workouts and took it to the next level this past Saturday in his first outing of 2026.
In his 2.2 innings of work, Lagrange fired a fastball that was clocked at 102.4 mph and that wasn’t even his fastest pitch this spring or in his minor league career. Earlier in the week, Yankees’ captain Aaron Judge fell victim to a 102.6-MPH heater in live batting practice.
Carlos Lagrange fired a 102.6-MPH fastball past Aaron Judge earlier this week in Yankees’ live batting practice in Tampa, Florida – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
“Carlos’ potential, man, is to be a frontline starter for the New York Yankees,” Judge said to the media on Saturday following New York’s spring training home opener vs. the Tigers at Steinbrenner Field.
“Anytime you can run up to 103 and he has a great feel for his off-speed pitches; that’s a lethal combo. He’s going to have a bright future with us and I’m looking forward to his debut whenever that comes.”
The praise from the three-time American League MVP says it all and that’s only the beginning of the respect Lagrange has in the Yankees’ clubhouse as well as the hitters that have faced him.
Yankees’ catcher J.C. Escarra, who has been behind the dish for Lagrange’s bullpens before, weighed in with his observations as the right-handed hurler threw 53 pitches and struck out two batters.
“He’s a power arm, definitely surprised me this year with how much he is in the zone, and he is throwing strikes,” Escarra told Latino Sports. “That’s going to be deadly and I think he’s going to help us this year.”
Last season, Lagrange made a tremendous jump from High-A Hudson Valley to Double-A Somerset. Keep in mind he started 2024 in the Florida Complex League and only threw 14.1 innings in Low-A Tampa. Lagrange battled some injuries in 2024, but still managed to hit 100-MPH at just 20-years-old.
“You feel so good when you work so hard for something and you see the results,” he said of his outing Saturday and hitting 100-MPH.
A special moment for Lagrange for sure, one he has pictured in his head since a teenager.
“It’s a little bit of a dream come true right there.”
He was also asked if there were nerves pitching the first spring training home game at Steinbrenner Field for 2026 and rocking the pinstripes.
“Maybe a little bit, but once I executed the first pitch, everything was back to normal.” he said. “As a pitcher, you have to control the game and you can’t let things out there take away your rhythm.”
Lagrange put together a special season in 2025 that saw him strikeout 168 batters which was third in all of Minor League Baseball. He did this in just 120 innings, which was the most with that few innings. Lagrange also led MiLB with 12.6 Ks per nine innings.
Tigers’ second ranked prospect, outfielder Max Clark, who was in the opposing dugout Saturday, had high praise for Lagrange, facing him several times in his MiLB career:
“We faced him in Somerset during Double-A and I faced him when I first came up in the FCL. It’s great to see him come up and he’s going to be a big piece for them (Yankees) at some point. He has a great fastball, a good changeup, and quality slider.”
“It’s hard to find an arc type like that with guys that throw 100-103 that are going to be starters and he definitely has that opportunity.”
The guy who has seen Lagrange the most out of all of those who spoke about him is Yankees’ prospect Spencer Jones.
“Lagrange is a special talent and everyone can see it,” Jones said. “He’s a competitor more than anything too which is really special. His ability to adapt and get better in between outings is something that you are going to see.”
For Lagrange, listed at an intimidating six-foot-seven-inches, the same height as Judge and Jones, the sky is literally and figuratively the limit. It’s hard to say if he will break camp with the team without pitching in Triple-A, but he could make it very hard for the Yankees to deny him whether that be as a starter or reliever.
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