New York Yankees pitcher Carlos Lagrange (84) throws against Detroit Tigers during the first inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla. on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Another Yankees Star Is Amazed by Carlos Lagrange

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Jayesh Pagar | Last updated Mar 7, 2026 2:00 PM ET

Spring training is where prospects get to make their case, and Carlos Lagrange has been doing exactly that in Tampa. The 22-year-old has made Aaron Judge a believer already , and now another New York Yankees star has seen enough to weigh in.

MLB.com reporter Bryan Hoch shared the quote on X, posting Gerrit Cole's scouting report on the young right-hander. Cole said: "It's like, silly. I've never seen anything like it. It's wild. I'm just blown away by the velocity every time."

Gerrit Cole’s scouting report on Carlos Lagrange: “It’s like, silly. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s wild. I’m just blown away by the velocity every time.”
— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) March 6, 2026

Coming from Cole, that means something. He is the ace of this rotation when healthy, and knows exactly what elite stuff looks like.

Lagrange is a 6-foot-7, 248-pound right-hander from Bayaguana, Dominican Republic, signed by the Yankees for just $10,000 back in 2022. Last season, split between High-A and Double-A, he struck out 168 batters across 120 innings and posted a 3.53 ERA. His fastball sits 97-99 mph and touches over 100 regularly.

This spring, he has taken things to another level. He struck out Judge on a 102.6 mph fastball in live batting practice, then touched 102.4 mph in his first Grapefruit League outing against Detroit. Against the Twins, he threw three scoreless innings, punched out four hitters, and his sweeper, changeup, and cutter all generated 50% whiff rates in the same outing.

The numbers are one thing, but the endorsements keep piling up too.

What Role Will Carlos Lagrange Play for the Yankees in 2026

Judge had already called Lagrange a future frontline starter for New York. Cole's take this week adds to a growing list of people inside the organization who simply cannot stop talking about this kid.

The big question for the Yankees is what to do with him right now. With the team needing bullpen help after losing Devin Williams and Luke Weaver this offseason, general manager Brian Cashman has been open about the idea of Lagrange making his debut as a reliever.

Pitching coach Matt Blake has also said the pen could be his fastest path to the Bronx.

Command is still the one thing holding him back. His walk rate at Double-A was over 12% last season, and that number has to come down before he can be trusted in high-leverage spots.

Cole being blown away by Lagrange is a big deal. When a future Hall of Famer watches a prospect throw and says he has never seen anything like it, that is not something you brush off. The Yankees have something real here, and spring training is just making that clearer every week.

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This article first appeared on New York Yankees on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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