Yankees Ace Gerrit Cole Shares High Praise for Flamethrowing Prospect Carlos Lagrange

The New York Yankees' top pitching prospect, Carlos Lagrange, has been turning heads all spring with his high-octane fastball. And now, he's even caught the attention of the team's injured ace, Gerrit Cole.

Cole recently shared his thoughts on Lagrange, New York's No. 2 prospect and MLB Pipeline's No. 79 overall prospect for 2026. And the 2023 American League Cy Young Award winner has clearly been impressed by what he's seen so far from the 22-year-old flamethrower.

"It's like, silly," Cole said, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch. "I've never seen anything like it. It's wild. I'm just blown away by the velocity every time."

Whether he's blowing a 102 mph fastball by three-time MVP Aaron Judge in a live at-bat or throwing 12 triple-digit heaters over three scoreless innings, Lagrange has certainly been the talk of the town this spring. Add in Cole's high praise for the 6-foot-7 righty, and it's easy to see why Yankees fans are so excited about their top pitching prospect.

Stage is set for breakout campaign from Carlos Lagrange in 2026

Feb 21, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Carlos Lagrange (84) throws a pitch against the Detroit Tigers during the second inning in a Spring Training game at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images | Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images

Even though Lagrange has been a standout performer all spring, he's still just 22 and has limited experience at the upper levels of the minors. The young flamethrower has pitched in 56 minor league games so far, and only 16 of those were at Double-A. He's also yet to make his Triple-A debut. That is certainly expected to change this year, however.

New York will most likely have Lagrange continue his development in the minors to start the 2026 season. But if his impressive spring translates into early regular-season success, many Yankees fans will be expecting to see him in the Bronx at some point this year.

It seems like the Yankees fully intend to build Lagrange up as a starter. With Cole and Carlos Rodón expected to be back in New York's rotation later this year, though, there may not be an immediate opening in the starting pitching staff for the young flamethrower. But his triple-digit fastball and ability to rack up strikeouts could make him an intriguing option for a late-season weapon out of the bullpen. Either way, Lagrange has seemingly put himself in a position to be a candidate to make his major league debut later this year.