New York Yankees Intriguing Pitching Prospect Enters Pivotal Development Year

A New York Yankees left-handed pitching prospect has a chance to break out as he enters an important 2025 season.

Aug 17, 2020; Bronx, New York, USA; A general view of rain falling on the New York Yankees logo on the first base dugout roof during a rain delay in the game between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The New York Yankees farm system took a hit in terms of its depth of talent over the last year or so.

Some players, such as starting pitcher Luis Gil and catcher Austin Wells, graduated from prospect status. The team benefitted greatly from that, as Gil won the American League rookie of the year award and Wells finished in third place. Baltimore Orioles outfielder Colton Cowser was sandwiched between.

Another reason the farm system fell in the rankings was the inconsistent performance of some of the top-rated players.

Outfielder Spencer Jones took a step back with an astronomical strikeout rate of 36.8% and may not be as ready for a promotion this season as originally believed. Jasson Dominguez struggled in his return from Tommy John surgery but is penciled into the Major League lineup for Opening Day.

Starting pitcher Chase Hampton battled injuries, which caused a setback from his ascension after a strong debut in 2023.

George Lombard Jr. will be the sole top 100 prospect once Dominguez graduates from prospect status, likely a few weeks into the season.

Fellow shortstop Roderick Arias was just outside the rankings that Kiley McDaniel of ESPN put together and Jones is heading in the wrong direction.

Who else could crash the party with a strong 2025 campaign?

One player to keep an eye on is left-handed pitcher Henry Lalane. He is short on experience but has the tools to not only move through the Yankees’ farm system rapidly, but get on the radar of prospect evaluators as well. He stands an imposing 6-7, but fell off the radar a bit after he dealt with shoulder soreness last season.

“At his best, his velocity is in the mid-90s, his breaking ball flashes above average, his changeup is plus and he has starter traits. Last season, his velocity was understandably down, so 2025 will be a big season to right the ship,” wrote McDaniel.

New York is going to have a major decision to make after the season with the young lefty eligible to be poached in the Rule 5 Draft.

He has the kind of tools that other teams would almost certainly take a shot on even if he doesn’t crack a Top 100 prospect list. With three above-average pitches already in his arsenal, he has a good foundation to work with.

Turning only 21 years old in May, Lalane isn’t even scratching the surface of his potential. His introduction to Rookie and Single-A baseball was not a pleasant one, but injuries certainly attributed to his 2024 struggles.

If he can remain healthy and return to the form he showed in 2021 and 2022 at the Dominican Summer League, he is going to start popping up on a lot of people’s radars, especially if the Yankees don’t move him to the 40-man roster.