TAMPA — Yankees’ Prospect Carlos LaGrange Focused on Starting Role

Carlos LaGrange, known for his impressive 162 mph fastball, is expected to find a spot in the Yankees’ bullpen eventually. However, manager Aaron Boone is encouraging the tall right-hander, standing at 6-foot-7, to concentrate on starting for as long as he can.

That said, Boone hasn’t entirely dismissed the idea of the 22-year-old LaGrange stepping into a relief role later in the season, should the situation demand it.

“You really want to tap into his greatest potential,” Boone remarked just before the Yankees faced off against Toronto at Steinbrenner Field. “He has the makings of an impactful starting pitcher.”

“He certainly has the skill set to be effective coming out of the bullpen, but we won’t rush him into filling that role, especially not early on. Still, if he logs some innings and we find ourselves needing him at some point, I believe anything is on the table,” he added.

In a recent game, LaGrange came off the bench and delivered four no-hit innings, striking out three while consistently hitting triple digits on the radar gun, helping to secure an 8-1 victory over the Blue Jays.

“This is exactly what we’ve expected. It’s incredibly impressive,” Boone praised LaGrange’s performance.

The Yankees are looking to increase LaGrange’s workload after he pitched 120 innings last season across High-A Hudson Valley and Double-A Somerset.

If LaGrange accumulates enough innings in the minors and the team believes he can contribute at the major league level, Boone might not hesitate to bring him up.

“It really depends on his performance and how many innings he can pitch. Plus, how he fares as a starter,” Boone explained. “If a need arises and the role is available, I don’t think that’s a bad option.”

More crucial, however, is whether LaGrange can build on his successes from last season.

“What impresses me about Carlos is his ability to throw strikes,” Boone said. “The big question is whether he can do that efficiently enough to be a top-of-the-rotation pitcher. Everything suggests we should find that out.”

The Yankees are also testing other players in various positions this week. Ryan McMahon is set to start at shortstop when they visit the Braves, while Cody Bellinger is expected to work at first base against Toronto.

Boone noted that McMahon prefers third base but will likely get some work at shortstop next week while they assess roster depth. Amed Rosario will be used at shortstop in limited situations, as Boone feels McMahon can effectively cover that position, particularly with Anthony Volpe easing back from offseason surgery.

Volpe is anticipated to participate in live at-bats by early April.

Despite being versatile, Bellinger is not expected to play much at first base this season, as Ben Rice and Paul Goldschmidt are slated to hold down that spot.

Bellinger is in the middle of a four-day work stretch, starting Wednesday, and is also expected to be in the lineup on Friday.

“We just need to get him transitioned there,” Boone remarked, complimenting Bellinger’s adaptability and readiness to take on different roles if needed.

“He thrives on that,” he added.

The Yankees also welcomed back Jazz Chisholm Jr. at second base and Jose Caballero at shortstop, who is likely to start Opening Day in center field.

Meanwhile, left-hander Brock Selvidge will miss the season following UCL surgery. The 23-year-old has played the past two seasons at Double-A Somerset after being drafted by the Yankees in 2021. This procedure was first reported by MLB.com.