4 Most Likely Yankees Prospects to Be Called Up After the All-Star Break: Carlos Lagrange Headlines Group

Some potential promotion candidates aren't as surprising as others.

Carlos Lagrange leads the list of Yankees prospects who could be due for an MLB promotion once the regular season resumes. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It isn't always perfect, but the Yankees' present is promising, as they navigate the MLB All-Star Break with the second-best record in the American League, second only to the rival Rays. The Bronx Bombers have plenty of time to regain control of the AL in the second half of the season, but doing so will require some changes throughout manager Aaron Boone's lineup.

As solid as the first half was, there's always room for improvement.

This year's MLB trade deadline— taking place on Monday, Aug. 3—is one tool Yankees general manager Brian Cashman can use to make changes. At the same time, he might not be interested in sacrificing top prospects for a deadline splash that might not pay off. Instead, Cashman and manager Aaron Boone might be intrigued to see whether any top prospects are ready to join the big-league squad, keeping the cupboards well-stocked for another day.

Throw in the fact that MLB rosters will expand from 26 to 28 players in just over a month and a half, and there's good reason to believe that these four Yankees prospects could be called up after the All-Star festivities conclude.

Carlos Lagrange, RHP

Carlos Lagrange leads the way for the Yankees' next potential call-ups, mainly because the club hasn't hidden its plans for him at all. After using him as a minor-league starter, New York began to transition the 23-year-old prospect into a bullpen role in June, as that's likely the best path for him to reach the majors, given New York's crowded rotation.

Carlos Lagrange has the potential to give the Yankees' bullpen a boost once he's healthy again. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Just before he could get going, though, Lagrange landed on the injured list at the end of the month with a sprain in his throwing shoulder. MLB.com's Manny Randhawa reported on July 3 that the Yankees' No. 4-ranked prospect "will not throw for approximately six weeks," making a potential big-league debut likely to happen in August at the earliest.

It was a small sample size, but Lagrange showed early signs that he could help the Yankees' bullpen this season. He can consistently break 100 mph with his fastball and has even amassed 20 strikeouts in 14 1/3 innings as a reliever so far, notching his first Triple-A career save along the way. He was shelled for five earned runs by Indianapolis in his last outing, but one-off performances like that are negligible, especially now that it's clear he was hurt.

Throw in the fact that his 97.64 prospect score is in the 97th percentile on Prospect Savant, and it's easy to see why Lagrange might graduate to pro status as soon as he's healthy.

George Lombard Jr., INF

Aside from Ben Rice, one could argue that the Yankees should strive to improve at every other infield position before the trade deadline. That's especially true for the left side of the infield, as shortstop and third base have been among New York's top concerns since Opening Day. With Ryan McMahon, Anthony Volpe and José Caballero being replaceable to differing degrees, a potential George Lombard Jr. call-up is likely on the menu in the second half.

Heralded for his defensive abilities, Lombard's bat quickly helped him leap from Double-A to Triple-A this season. The versatile infield prospect—who's played 412 innings at shortstop and 84 at third base this season—has looked at home with the RailRiders, experiencing an explosive June that saw him slash .306/.426/.571 with nine walks, two home runs and four RBIs in 14 games (49 at-bats).

🚨George Lombard Jr CRUSHES 2nd pitch of his rehab for a solo shot!

106 MPH EV
397 Ft#RepBx #Yankees pic.twitter.com/K3hi9BcHKt

— YankeesFarm (@YankeesFarm) July 13, 2026

Lombard has been healing from a finger injury he sustained last month, but all signs point to a looming return as his rehab goes well. Considering how Cashman recently told NY Daily News' Gary Phillips that the 21-year-old prodigy was "pushing" to join the Yankees before his injury, it likely won't be long before Lombard is sporting pinstripes in the Bronx.

Spencer Jones, OF

Spencer Jones has already been up with the Yankees once this season. Even though the initial run didn't produce the necessary results to keep him around, there's still a chance the 6-foot-7 slugger will return to Boone's lineup after the MLB All-Star Break.

The Yankees had to demote Jones earlier this month due to Trent Grisham's return from the IL. The Encinitas, CA native's performance was hit-or-miss, as he slashed .233/.317/.370 with two HRs, seven RBIs and a putrid 41.5% strikeout rate in 30 games (73 ABs). Fortunately, Jones quickly turned things around after his demotion, going 7-for-22 (.318) with a home run, two doubles, a pair of RBIs and four walks in six games with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Spencer Jones launches his 1st homerun since rejoining Scranton, an opposite-field solo shot!!

109.1 mph and 412 feet🔥 pic.twitter.com/TbCb8VkVLW

— Cai Rogers (@cai_rogers7) July 11, 2026

Jones does have six strikeouts during that stretch; however, only two came in 15 ABs over his last four games—a strikeout rate of just 13.3%.

If Judge or Stanton needs more time to recover, calling Jones up again will likely be in the Yankees' plans. That's without considering how he could even swap spots with Jasson Domínguez, who's been fairly streaky as a hitter throughout the season. Either way, there's a decent chance that New York fans haven't seen the last of Jones in the majors this year.

Ben Grable, RHP

As long as the Yankees' bullpen is a concern, rising pitching prospect Ben Grable is a name worth monitoring. The 2025 11th-round draft pick cruised through his time with High-A Hudson Valley to begin the year and has since been one of Double-A Somerset's best bullpen arms, potentially opening the door for a sooner-than-expected MLB promotion.

After all, Grable has been lights out for the Patriots. The former Indiana hurler is 2-1 with a 3.09 ERA in his first 22 relief appearances with Somerset, amassing 32 strikeouts in 23 1/3 innings—an impressive average of 12.3 Ks per nine IP. He's also showing end-of-game potential by registering three saves and completing five games.

Ben Grable (right) is quickly rising through the Yankees' prospect pipeline. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

If that isn't impressive enough, Grable's 34.4% strikeout rate ranks in the 91st percentile, according to Prospect Savant, as does his 25.8% strikeout-to-walk ratio. Even more impressive are his weighted on-base average (.209, 96th percentile) and swinging strike rate (17.1%, 93rd).

Grable will likely need to prove his worth at the Triple-A level before reaching the big leagues. Assuming his ongoing success carries over to the next stage, though, he might only be around Scranton for a minute before being shipped off to the Bronx.

Honorable mentions: Elmer Rodríguez (RHP), Ben Hess (RHP), Brendan Beck (RHP)