If you’re a Yankees fan, it’s time to circle a name in bold on your spring training watch list: Carlos Lagrange.
The 22-year-old right-hander isn’t just another prospect climbing the ranks-he’s already drawing comparisons to one of the most dominant bullpen arms in recent Yankees memory. And when Aaron Boone starts name-dropping Dellin Betances, you pay attention.
Let’s start with the raw tools. Lagrange stands a towering 6-foot-7 and brings serious heat-his fastball touches 103 mph.
That’s not a typo. He struck out 168 batters over 120 innings last season between High-A and Double-A, and he did it with a mix of power and polish that’s rare for a pitcher who signed for just $10,000 back in 2022.
Boone didn’t hold back when asked about Lagrange’s potential, saying, “You think back to when Dellin [Betances] was at his best... you’d just see some consistently really bad swings.” That’s high praise, especially considering Betances was a four-time All-Star who terrorized hitters with a high-90s fastball and a devastating slider. While Lagrange isn’t a carbon copy-Boone noted their differences in build and style-the common thread is clear: uncomfortable at-bats and a whole lot of strikeouts.
Lagrange isn’t just a flamethrower, though. His 2025 numbers show a pitcher learning how to pitch, not just throw.
He logged a 3.83 ERA and a 1.200 WHIP across 24 games (23 starts), signaling that he’s more than just a bullpen weapon in the making-he’s being developed as a starter. The Yankees are clearly giving him every opportunity to stick in the rotation, and if he continues trending upward, a big league debut in 2026 isn’t out of the question.
And for those wondering how to say his name before he starts lighting up the radar gun in the Bronx, Lagrange cleared it up himself: it’s “lah-GRAHN-heh.”
So as spring training kicks off, keep an eye on No. 2.
Not just on the Yankees’ prospect list-but maybe soon, on the back of a pinstriped jersey in the Bronx. If Lagrange’s rise continues on this trajectory, the Yankees might have found their next homegrown star.