2026 NY Yankees MiLB Round-Up: Carlos Lagrange Shines in Triple-A Debut

In a 2026 MiLB game, Carlos Lagrange made his first start at the Triple-A level, demonstrating good control despite adverse weather conditions. Although his fastball velocity was down due to the cold, Lagrange managed to keep the scoreboard at zero in the walk column.

While he did allow some loud contact, which indicates that, although he found the zone, he wasn't always able to place the ball where desired. His talent is undeniable, and he managed to limit the Bisons to just one run with three strikeouts in four innings.

His fastball registered 97.9 MPH with 17 inches of 'ride', combining with sweepers, changeups, and sliders, the latter being where he got most of his 'whiffs'. This performance, although not dominant, was positive for a pitcher who had never played at this level, continuing the momentum from spring training.

Spencer Jones, the left-handed outfielder, performed with five strikeouts in 12 at-bats (38.5%), with a .667 SLG% and a home run over the weekend. This is Jones' style: a lot of power accompanied by many strikeouts, and the hope is that the zone contact percentage improves.

If this happens, he could be promoted this season; otherwise, the Yankees might consider a trade at the deadline, hoping that another team will be intrigued by his potential. It doesn't hurt his case that Munetaka Murakami, with similar problems, has hit three home runs in his first three games, showing that sometimes teams react to immediate results.

Jones' situation is a clear example of the duality between potential and the need to improve certain aspects to establish himself on the team.

Harrison Cohen picked up two strikeouts in his first appearance of the 2026 season, and he seems to have made an interesting change to counteract some of the problems from the previous year. Throwing strikes was an issue for him last season, which is why the Yankees decided to leave him off the 40-man roster.

By throwing more cutters, he gets more 'chases' and 'whiffs'. This cutter is very effective and has maintained over 50% usage in spring training, the World Baseball Classic, and in this Triple-A outing. Although the changeup and the four-seam fastball have improved, it could be this cutter that takes him to the Major League bullpen this summer.

Additionally, Yovanny Cruz could reach the Major Leagues before May, due to the quality of his pitches. His fastball reached 99.2 MPH, but his best pitch is the slider, which he used 59.3% of the time, with a 75% 'Whiff%'. This slider has good velocity and complements his four-seam fastball very well, with an action that deceives both left-handed and right-handed hitters.

Another name to watch is Zach Messinger, who is throwing a much-improved four-seam fastball, with 17 inches of 'ride' at 95 MPH. In addition, he has a sinker, changeup, sweeper, and cutter, with good movement and threw 1.2 scoreless innings, with a strikeout and no runners allowed.

The overall team depth is remarkable, with several players showing potential to contribute in the near future. The combination of pitchers with different styles and abilities provides the team with great versatility.

The 2026 MiLB season promises to be exciting for the Yankees, with several prospects showing their worth and preparing to move up to the Major Leagues.