Yankees' Carlos Lagrange Has a Big Problem That's Getting Worse

TL;DR

Yankees pitching prospect Carlos Lagrange, initially impressive in Spring Training, has faced significant struggles in his first seven starts of 2026. The team opted to send him down to Triple-A for further development.

Key points

Carlos Lagrange was impressive in Spring Training.
He was clocked at 102 mph on the radar gun.
Lagrange struggled in his first seven starts of 2026.
The Yankees sent him down to Triple-A for further development.

New York YankeesCarlos Lagrange

Yankees' Carlos Lagrange Has a Big Problem That's Getting Worse

New York Yankees pitching prospect Carlos Lagrange was all the rage in Spring Training. He was flashing 102 mph on the radar gun, and he was buckling hitters with his nasty movement.

Some even felt that Lagrange could sneak his way on to the big-league roster, but in the end, the Yankees sent him down to Triple-A for some more work.

That proved to be the right decision, because Lagrange has certainly been struggling through his first seven starts of 2026.

Yes, Lagrange is still fanning hitters at an incredible rate, having racked up 38 strikeouts over 28.1 innings of work, but his walks have been just as noticeable.

Lagrange has issued 17 free passes thus far, good for an average of 5.4 walks per nine frames. He owns lifetime 5.2 BB/9, so command has always been an issue for the right-hander. But it isn't getting any better. In fact, it might be getting worse.

This is exactly why I've always pushed back against the notion of turning Lagrange into a reliever. Not that you ever want your pitchers walking batters, but it gets amplified much more when you are entering a game with runners already potentially on base.

Lagrange is 6-foot-7, so it's understandably difficult for him to harness his delivery. But if he ever wants to make it in the big leagues, he will have to rectify this problem.

New York Yankees pitcher Carlos Lagrange. Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images.

Remember: Dellin Betances had a very similar issue in the Yankees' minor-league system, but he got it under control (somewhat) in the majors.

Q&A

What issues is Carlos Lagrange facing in his 2026 season?

Carlos Lagrange is struggling significantly in his first seven starts of the 2026 season, which prompted the Yankees to send him down to Triple-A.

Why did the Yankees send Carlos Lagrange to Triple-A?

The Yankees sent Carlos Lagrange to Triple-A to allow him to work on his performance after he struggled in his early starts of the 2026 season.

What were Carlos Lagrange's Spring Training performances like?

In Spring Training, Carlos Lagrange showcased impressive skills, hitting 102 mph on the radar gun and demonstrating effective movement, leading to expectations of a potential big-league roster spot.