A few weeks into Spring Training is the perfect time to overreact to a small sample size. For what it’s worth, I wrote a similar blog last year that highlighted Will Warren as a potential game changer for the 2025 Yankees’ starting rotation, so I deserve at least an “atta boy” for that. While I didn’t identify a diamond in the rough thus far, there are two young players that I want to highlight for their exceptional performances about a dozen games into Spring Training.
Spencer Jones - OF
Whether it be from an overzealous Jasson Dominguez/Trent Grisham hater pleading with the front office to promote the 24-year-old lefty to the big leagues, or from the countless trade rumors he has been involved in over the past few years, every Yankees fan knows the name Spencer Jones by now.
Jones has been impressive in Spring Training the past two years, putting up a 1.305 and .927 OPS in 2024 and 2025, respectively. Now, in 2026, he has been doing more of the same as he has already hit 4 HRs in just over 20 at-bats while sporting an impressive 1.392 OPS.
Spencer Jones split time between the Yankees’ AA (Somerset) and AAA (Scranton/Wilkes-Barre) affiliates in 2025, putting up similar stats in each league (.274 BA, 16 HRs, .984 OPS in AA and .274 BA, 19 HRs, and .897 OPS in AAA).
Despite the crowded outfield in the Bronx, Jones is expected to make his long-awaited MLB debut this summer and, if his Spring Training performance is any indication, he could be a valuable bench piece for the Yanks in 2026.
Carlos Lagrange - SP
As one of the few highly-touted prospects to survive the trade deadline over the past few seasons, Carlos Lagrange has performed quite well in his first Spring Training for the Yankees. The consensus Top 100 prospect in the MLB has pitched 5.2 innings, striking out 6 batters and only surrendering a single earned run courtesy of a solo home run.
The 6’7” flamethrower split time between A+ and AA ball and actually performed considerably better against the better competition, putting up a 3.22 ERA in 15 starts compared to a 4.10 ERA in 8 starts in A+.
At only 22 years old, Lagrange is unlikely to pitch in the major leagues for another couple of seasons; however, he is a key name to keep an eye on in the Yankees’ minor league system. The Yankees have done a solid job developing homegrown pitchers as of late (Luis Gil, Will Warren, Cam Schlittler), and hopefully that trend continues with Lagrange.
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