The Yankees still haven’t shut the door on Carlos Lagrange.
While most of the buzz around New York has centered on whether Aaron Judge will be available when the 2026 MLB playoffs begin next week, the club may also have a spot for its top pitching prospect. Lagrange, ranked No. 3 in the organization by MLB Pipeline, took part in live batting practice Wednesday in Somerset alongside rehabbing veterans Giancarlo Stanton and Trent Grisham, according to the New York Post’s Greg Joyce. Joyce also reported that Lagrange is part of the Yankees’ “stay-ready group,” keeping him in position to be an option for the postseason roster.
Aaron Boone added to that possibility, saying Wednesday that Lagrange is “in the conversation” to contribute this year, per Joyce. That had been the expectation earlier in the season before the hard-throwing right-hander landed on the injured list. Even so, the idea that the Yankees could still turn to the 23-year-old for his MLB debut this year makes for an interesting wrinkle as October approaches.
Lagrange’s first Triple-A season was a mixed bag, but the raw stuff clearly kept him on the radar. In 19 games for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, he posted a 4.48 ERA with 85 strikeouts across 64 1/3 innings. He made 11 starts before moving to the bullpen for eight relief outings, and he picked up his first career save before a right shoulder capsular sprain sent him to the injured list in July.
His return to the mound came just this week. On Sept.
16, Lagrange threw a scoreless inning in Triple-A, his only appearance over the last three months. If New York does choose him for a playoff role, the usage would almost certainly be limited - likely no more than an inning at a time.
There’s also the possibility that the Yankees give him a major league debut in one of their final four regular-season games. That would let the 6-foot-7 righty get a taste of the big leagues while giving the club another look at whether he’s ready for the postseason spotlight. For now, the path remains open for Lagrange to end up pitching in the Bronx this year.
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Yankees Triple-A Era Ended With A Twist Fans Never Saw Coming
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