Carlos Lagrange, a 23-year-old right-handed pitcher known for his high-velocity fastball, will transition to a relief role with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, the New York Yankees announced on June 3. The move is expected to accelerate his potential promotion to the Major Leagues.
Manager Aaron Boone said at Yankee Stadium that while the organization views Lagrange as a long-term starting pitcher, there is an opportunity for him to make an impact out of the bullpen this season. “We definitely view him long term as a starter,” Boone said. “But in the 2026 lens, there’s a chance for him to potentially impact us out of the bullpen while not really disrupting anything moving forward.”
Lagrange impressed during Spring Training with his triple-digit velocity and performance against hitters such as Gerrit Cole and Max Fried. Catcher Austin Wells remarked late in camp, “I don’t have any doubts he could help us right now.” In Triple-A this season, Lagrange has posted an 0-3 record with a 4.41 ERA over 11 starts, striking out 63 batters across 49 innings and holding opponents to a .215 batting average.
His fastball has averaged nearly 99 mph this year and reached as high as 103 mph. According to MLB Pipeline ratings cited by the team, he is ranked as the Yankees’ No. 4 prospect overall and their No. 2 pitching prospect.
Boone outlined that Lagrange’s shift from starter to reliever would likely take most of June: “You’re talking about several weeks of de-loading and then building in the [appearances] every other day,” Boone said. “So that takes a while, but we’ll see.”
Signed for $10,000 as an international free agent in February 2022, Lagrange could provide needed strikeout ability for a Yankees bullpen that ranks tenth in relief ERA but only tied for fourteenth in whiff rate entering Tuesday’s games. Boone added regarding discussions about Lagrange’s new role, “It’s been a conversation for a couple of weeks now.”
