The New York Yankees got a look at their top pitching prospects this past weekend, and the early returns were promising. Carlos Lagrange, Elmer Rodriguez, and Ben Hess, the Yankees’ No. 2, No. 3, and No. 6 prospects, all impressed in their first spring training action of 2026. With continued success, it’s certainly possible that each one heads North as members of the Yankees’ pitching staff in the regular season.
Elmer Rodriguez
The starter for the Yankees’ spring opener, Rodriguez pitched three innings of scoreless baseball against the Baltimore Orioles. He allowed three hits, and while he only struck out one batter, he didn’t allow a single walk.
It’s no secret that Rodriguez’s speciality is his control, hence the fact that he didn’t allow a walk on Friday. However, he still brought the heat, with his sinker topping out at 96 mph. His fastball sat around 94 mph, a number that will only go up throughout the 2026 season.
Despite the great blend of control and heat he exhibited, Rodriguez also showed great poise. In the second inning, he got Heston Kjerstad to ground into an inning-ending double play with runners on the corners, eliminating the Orioles’ one-out threat.
Carlos Lagrange
In his Saturday start against the Detroit Tigers, Lagrange came out of the gates firing. His first two pitches were back-to-back 99 mph fastballs, while he touched 100 mph three pitches later. He reached that mark six more times by the end of his outing, topping out at 102 mph.
Across 2 2/3 innings, Lagrange allowed one earned run on three hits while striking out and walking a pair of batters. He earned the win in the Yankees’ 20–3 thrashing of the Tigers, giving him a 1–0 record for spring training. In his first taste of major league-level competition, Lagrange proved he’s well worth his 70-grade fastball and No. 2 position in the Yankees’ prospect rankings.
Ben Hess
The Yankees’ 2024 first-round pick has swiftly moved up the team’s prospect rankings, and Monday proved exactly why. Despite being a starter, Hess looked comfortable out of the bullpen in the Yankees’ tilt with the Pittsburgh Pirates. In three innings, he struck out five batters, allowing two hits and one earned run.
Hess showed great poise, especially in the seventh and eighth innings. With one out in the seventh inning, the Pirates had runners on the corners. However, Hess struck out the next two batters to retire the side. The following inning, Hess found himself with two runners on base and no outs. Still, Hess recorded three consecutive outs to retire the side once more.
More Major League Baseball Articles
More New York Yankees Articles
More MLB Articles
Main Photo:
- Categories
-
Major League Baseball
New York Yankees
