The New York Yankees secured a 20-3 spring training win over the Detroit Tigers on Feb. 21 at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Moreover, one of the standout performers in this lopsided win was pitcher Carlos Lagrange, who went 2 2/3 innings against the Tigers.
Lagrange recorded two strikeouts while giving up one earned run on three hits, along with two walks. Despite the brief appearance from the 22-year-old, he made a good impression on Yankees star Aaron Judge.
“Anytime you can run up to 103 [mph], and he has a great feel for his off-speed pitches; that’s a lethal combo,” Judge told Meredith Marakovits on YES Network.
“So just excited for his future, excited for what he can do on the mound for us, but Lagrange, hey, I’m excited. He’s going to have a bright future with us, and I’m looking forward to his debut whenever that comes.”
Moreover, Judge added more comments when talking about the young right-hander.
“Carlos’ potential, man, is to be a frontline starter for the New York Yankees,” Judge added (h/t Chris Kirschner of The Athletic).
Lagrange had a strong 2025 minor league season, splitting time between High-A Hudson Valley and Double-A Somerset in the Yankees organization. In 24 appearances, including 23 starts, he went 11–8 with a 3.53 ERA over 120 innings. Moreover, he finished the season with 168 strikeouts and a 1.20 WHIP, per MILB.com.
Aaron Judge Happy to Have Same Group Back for 2026
It’s still unclear if Lagrange will make the Yankees’ Opening Day roster. New York, however, is focused on returning to the World Series after falling short in 2025, particularly following the way the ALDS against the Toronto Blue Jays unfolded.
“It was a special group last year and now we get a second year of a lot of those guys,” Judge said. “They got their feet wet in the Bronx and the expectations of playing for a Yankee, playing in Yankee Stadium in front of those fans. So I think it’s going to be a fun year. The boys are pumped up. We got a great squad, and they’re hungry.”
Yankees Are World Series Contender in the American League
MLB Network Radio’s Jeff Joyce believes that although it’s been a quiet offseason for the Yankees, manager Aaron Boone still has a championship-contending team.
“I know that everyone’s down on the Yankees, but going into this season, if [Gerrit] Cole and [Carlos] Rodón come back healthy, they’ve probably got the best rotation they’ve had in a while, as far as postseason potential,” Joyce said in a video posted by MLB Network Radio on Jan. 31.
“Lineup-wise, they feel like they’ve got more pieces around [Aaron] Judge than they’ve had in a while, even though it still feels a little bit short going down. So I will still call them a contending team, a championship-caliber team.
“I’d like to see one bat added, because the left side of the infield doesn’t excite me. But I do feel like the last couple of years have at least been better, and given them a better opportunity than they were doing more in the earlier 2020s, 2021 through 2023.”
Yankees’ Aaron Judge Doesn’t Hold Back on Carlos Lagrange