There was big-time pitching all across Yankees Universe on Thursday night. Cam Schlittler threw a gem at Fenway Park to help the Bronx Bombers sweep the Red Sox. Gerrit Cole made his second rehab outing of 2026 for High-A Hudson Valley.
But nobody threw the ball like Carlos Lagrange, who dialed it up in excess of 102 mph three times during a five-inning, eight-strikeout performance for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in its 6-5 win in 11 innings at PNC Field. Dating back to 2015, there have been just three hurlers at the Major League level to throw three or more pitches at 102 mph in a start -- Hunter Greene (2022), Jordan Hicks (‘22) and Jacob Misiorowski (‘25).
The last Minor League pitcher confirmed to have done so? Well, that’s Lagrange himself, 12 days ago.
Facing a Triple-A Nationals lineup featuring four current or former Top 100 overall prospects, Lagrange (MLB No. 69) settled in early with six strikeouts across his first three frames. He came within one pitch -- an inning-opening ball -- of an immaculate inning in the third, during which his three at-bat-ending pitches were a 91.4 mph changeup, a 102.6 mph fastball an102.3 mph fastball.
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The velocity, while immensely impressive, isn’t the entire story. The 22-year-old opened the season at Triple-A to refine his arsenal and ultimately blossom into a long-term starting pitcher. Two key elements stood out in that regard during his latest start -- first-pitch strikes and the maintaining of velocity throughout the outing.
Lagrange pumped a first-pitch strike to 15 of 21 batters faced. But these weren’t merely get-me-over fastballs -- he successfully went to his slider or sweeper on nine occasions.
The Yankees’ No. 2 prospect threw his first four-seam fastball at 99.3 mph in the first. He threw his final one at 100 in the fifth. All told, he threw 77 pitches (53 for strikes) and ran a 43.2 percent whiff rate, finishing his strikeouts with four different offerings (fastball, changeup, slider, sweeper).
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From top to bottom, Lagrange’s fifth start of the year was his best. He walked just one batter while striking eight, a ratio he had achieved just once (Sept. 5, 2025) since reaching the upper Minors last June.
For all of the star power generated from overpowering Yankees hitters -- and the opposition -- during camp, it’s worth remembering that Lagrange has gotten his first taste of Triple-A in March and April.
“He’s definitely got everyone’s attention,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said last month. “I love where he’s at. I would not be surprised if he is impacting us early, middle, later part of the season.
“I can just tell you, we’re all very excited about his continued development and what we think he could mean to our team at some point.”