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Yankees excited about intriguing pitching prospect.
The New York Yankees have opened up spring training, and one pitcher is already drawing plenty of praise.
New York has some roster spots available in the rotation and bullpen, as Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon will miss the beginning of the season. One name who could reach the majors is 6-foot-7 flamethrower Carlos Lagrange.
Lagrange has touched 102 MPH in camp already, and Yankees manager Aaron Boone compares him to former Yankees closer Dellin Betances.
“We’re excited about him, for good reason,” Boone said of Lagrange, via MLB.com. … “I think back to when Dellin was at his best. Dellin was taller (6-foot-8) and even a little different, but when he was on, you’d just see some consistently really bad swings against him. So I think Carlos has a very bright future.”
Betances was a four-time All-Star from 2014 to 2017 and was one of the top closers in baseball during that stretch,
Lagrange was never supposed to be a top Yankees prospect, as the right-hander signed for just $10,000 out of the Dominican Republic. Yet, he has risen through the system with his electric fastball.
The right-hander reached AA last season, and between A+ and AA, he went 11-8 with a 3.53 ERA in 24 games, including 23 starts.
Although Lagrange seems unlikely to make the Yankees out of camp, he could very well be someone who reaches the MLB later on this season.
Regardless, the flamethrower of a right-hander has already impressed the Yankees brass and will be someone to watch in New York’s system this season.
Yankees GM Impressed With Lagrange
Lagrange has impressed in the minors, and now in big league camp, he’s impressing Yankees general manager Brian Cashman.
Cashman said Lagrange is part of the young pups that are coming up, who fans will be excited to watch.
“From my side of the fence, I certainly get a lot of calls on them, and understandably so,” Cashman said. “I have a lot of interest in retaining them. I look forward to seeing how their camp goes this year. You’ll see the talent.
“It’s just another step in their development, getting a chance to lock up against and learn from some of these vets, and to face some of the hitters that they get a chance to see on TV.”
A key reason why Lagrange is having success is due to his change in command, as he’s focused on throwing strikes, which has helped him tremendously.
“I think the biggest improvement is commanding the strike zone better,” Lagrange said. “I had a full offseason that allowed me to train for the upcoming season. If there were any mistakes we wanted to fix, it gave me the opportunity to do that.”
Lagrange said the goal in MLB camp is to prove he belongs, and so far, he’s looking the part.
Gerrit Cole Begins Throwing
New York did get some good news on the pitching front as Cole threw his first bullpen after Tommy John surgery.
Although Cole is already throwing, Boone said the Yankees won’t rush him as the focus is on having him healthy in October.
“We want to make sure we give him the proper time to make sure he is good and ready to come back, built up in a smart way,” Boone said. “Don’t want to speed things up for the sake of a couple starts at the front end that could affect the overall product.”
Cole missed all of last season as he had Tommy John surgery on March 11.
Cole Shelton Cole Shelton covers the NHL, MLB and Cleveland Browns for Heavy.com. He has covered pro and college sports since 2016, including bylines at BJ Penn, USA Today, SB Nation, Rotowire, Canadian Baseball Network and more. More about Cole Shelton
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