The New York Yankees have slogged through a year to forget, but many of their minor leaguers have impressed — especially at the lower levels.
And it is hard to miss two notable ones, pitchers Henry Lalane and Carlos Lagrange.
Why? Well, they are both 6-foot-7 and played on a loaded Florida Complex League team that featured five players, including shortstop Roderick Arias, highlighted by Baseball America in its list of top 20 prospects in the FCL.
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BA’s Josh Norris called the pitchers “upside monsters.”
In Lalane, ranked No. 4 on the list and No. 22 overall in the organization, the Yankees have a 19-year-old lefty from the Bronx who was signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2021 as an international free agent. Norris said that he can hit the mid-90s and has three offspeed pitches. But what’s most remarkable is his “sublime coordination” of his frame that harnessed his control: four walks in 21 2/3 innings. He also had a 4.57 ERA and 34 strikeouts in eight games.
“All summer long, he impressed scouts with his combination of pitchability, stuff, athleticism and demeanor on the mound,” Norris said.
Lagrange, who was signed from the Dominican Republic in 2022, was slotted No. 7 on the list and No. 23 in the organization. The 20-year-old right-hander possesses a fastball that can hit 100.
“To stick in the rotation, Lagrange will have to polish his command significantly, but even if he winds up in the bullpen he has the stuff to be a force in the late innings, Norris said.
He posted a 4.97 ERA in 12 games (41 2/3 innings) with 24 walks and 63 strikeouts.
Both players are years away from potentially making an impact at the major league level. But they are more glimmers of hope in a lost season, at least.
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Jimmy Hascup may be reached at jhascup@njadvancemedia.com.