Alexander Wilson
The Yankees demolished the Twins 17-5 for their fifth spring training victory Friday. Offensively, it was a master class. But one of the best performances came from right-hander Carlos Lagrange.
He tossed three nearly perfect innings, striking out four batters and allowing one hit while lowering his spring ERA to 1.59. Lagrange touched 100 mph with his fastball while deploying his sweeper, changeup, and cutter. His sweeper generated a 50% whiff rate, as did his changeup and cutter. He paired his fastball with some of the nastiest secondary pitches we’ve seen from a young prospect.
The Arsenal Is Filthy When Command Is On
What makes Lagrange dangerous is the complete nature of his repertoire. This isn’t a one-pitch wonder. When his command is on, Lagrange is essentially unhittable, and that’s something the Bombers desperately want to leverage with Devin Williams and Luke Weaver departed.
Manager Aaron Boone has drawn comparisons to one of the Yankees’ all-time great relievers. “I think back to when Dellin was at his best,” Boone said. “Dellin was taller (6-foot-8) and even a little different, but when he was on, you’d just see some consistently really bad swings against him. So I think Carlos has a very bright future.”
The Dellin Betances comparison is significant. Betances was a failed starter who became a four-time All-Star in high-leverage situations. At 6-foot-7 and 248 pounds, Lagrange has that same imposing presence, and his downhill plane makes his fastball play up.
Judge Sees a Frontline Starter
While he probably won’t crack the rotation this year, there’s a good chance the Yankees believe he can help them in high-leverage situations. Captain Aaron Judge has gone on record about Lagrange’s ceiling.
“Carlos’ potential, man, is to be a frontline starter for the New York Yankees,” Judge said, via Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. “That’s what you need if you’re going to play in the Bronx. You’ve got to have that demeanor, that it doesn’t matter who’s in front of you or what happens. So I’m excited about him, excited about his stuff. His personality and presence — he’s going to be a special player for us.”
Judge knows what it takes to succeed in the Bronx, and his endorsement carries weight. But there’s a disconnect between what Lagrange could become and what the Yankees need from him in 2026.
Blake Hints at Bullpen Conversion
Pitching coach Matt Blake has hinted that the bullpen might be Lagrange’s quickest path to the Bronx. “If he can stay as a starter, there’s huge value in that,” Blake said. “But if there’s a need in the bullpen, I’m sure it’s a conversation that, as a group, we’re going to have to have. I think we’d like to have him start as long as possible and then pivot when necessary. It’s definitely something that’s percolating in the background as far as where does this guy help us the most and what timeline is that?”
That last line is key: “where does this guy help us the most.” The Yankees are in win-now mode with Judge entering his age-34 season. They don’t have the luxury of letting a 103-mph arm marinate in Triple-A just because the long-term plan says “starter.” If the rotation stays healthy and the bullpen needs reinforcements by midseason, Lagrange becomes an easy call.
Friday’s performance against the Twins strengthened that case. Three innings of dominant work with four pitches generating whiffs is exactly what late-innings relief looks like. The Yankees have historically turned failed starters into elite relievers, and Lagrange’s profile screams high-leverage bullpen weapon. Whether he becomes the frontline starter Judge envisions or the next great Yankees setup man, Lagrange proved Friday that he’s ready for whatever role the organization needs.
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