The New York Yankees are moving Carlos Lagrange to the Triple-A bullpen to speed up his path to the major leagues.

Featuring a hundred-mile-per-hour fastball that batters dread and a presence that led Gerrit Cole to admit, "I've never witnessed a pitcher like him," Carlos Lagrange left a strong mark in his debut major league spring camp.

Cole, Max Fried, and others can easily envision the impact Lagrange could have at the major league level. As catcher Austin Wells noted near the end of spring training, "I have no doubt he could help us right now."

That day is drawing nearer. The Yankees announced today that the 23-year-old Lagrange will shift to a relief role with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, accelerating his potential route to the majors.

"We still view him as a starter long-term," manager Aaron Boone said today at Yankee Stadium, "but from the perspective of the 2026 season, he has a chance to impact us out of the bullpen without disrupting any future plans."

Ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Yankees' fourth-best farm system prospect and second among their pitching prospects, the 6-foot-7, 248-pound right-hander posted a 0-3 record with a 4.41 ERA across 11 starts in Triple-A. In 49 innings, he allowed 40 hits, issued 25 walks, and struck out 63, holding opponents to a .215 batting average.

The blazing fastball is Lagrange's trademark. This season in Triple-A, his average four-seamer velocity was 98.9 mph, topping out at 103.0 mph. He threw the 29 fastest pitches among all Triple-A starters this season, and 46 of the top 51. His arsenal also includes a slider, changeup, and cutter.

"The stuff is electric," Boone said. "What excites me most is getting to know him as a person and a competitor for the first time—the way he works. You want to see a young player go out there, dominate, and enjoy the competition. I think all of us have had that thought: 'Maybe he can help us this year in some way, shape, or form.'"

Boone hinted that the full transition from starter to reliever could take up most of June.

"It will take a few weeks to scale down, then build back up on a schedule of pitching every other day or so," Boone said. "So it takes time—we'll see."

Lagrange signed with the Yankees in February 2022 as an international free agent for a $10,000 bonus. His electric velocity and improving command will be a welcome addition to a Yankees bullpen that has struggled to generate whiffs. As of today, the bullpen ranks 10th in MLB with a 3.59 ERA, but its 25.8% whiff rate is tied for just 14th.

Currently, the Yankees’ starting rotation is already so stacked that there is no room for him—just like last year’s case with Roki Sasaki, he can only reach the majors by entering the bullpen.