This rulebook wrinkle should put Carlos Lagrange on Yankees' Opening Day roster

By now, every spring appearance Carlos Lagrange makes is appointment viewing for New York Yankees fans. After his latest showing against the Boston Red Sox, they aren't ready for the experience to end. Lagrange going north with the big club seemed far-fetched at the time, but his stellar performance, combined with a little-known rule book wrinkle called the Prospect Promotion Incentive, could be enough to bolster his case.

Introduced with the last CBA in 2022, the Prospect Promotion Incentive (PPI) is designed to put an end to the service time manipulations clubs used to pull with their top prospects. Under it, a team can earn a bonus first-round draft pick if a prospect is on the Opening Day roster or promoted within the first few weeks of the season (the deadline is typically around April 15), accrues one year of service time as a rookie, and factors into a major award (Rookie of the Year, Cy Young, or MVP) within his first three big league seasons. Specifically, he'd have to win the Rookie of the Year, or have a top-three finish in the MVP or Cy Young voting within his first three seasons.

Lagrange isn't just a Yankees phenom; his triple-digit velocity has captured the attention of the greater baseball world. And when they get a whiff of his nasty benders and fall-off-the-table changeup, he's only going to generate more buzz.

With that buzz and notoriety, his AL Rookie of the Year award odds increase. As much as we wish it wasn't the case, the end-of-the-season awards are as much a popularity contest as they are a recognition of a player's achievements. How else do you explain Jose Altuve beating out Aaron Judge for the AL MVP in 2017?

Including Carlos Lagrange on Yankees Opening Day roster provides benefit while solving pressing need

With the four scoreless innings Lagrange threw against the Boston Red Sox, he lowered his spring ERA to 0.66 over 13 2/3 frames. In four innings, he allowed two hits and a walk while striking out four and posting a whiff rate of 38%. That success came even with his velocity "down" a tick, only averaging 99.6 miles per hour on his fastball.

After the game, Lagrange was asked if he felt he was ready for the show. The Dominican native didn't even wait for his interpreter to translate, responding with an emphatic "Yeah" as soon as the question was asked.

He might be needed. After a dominant first outing, Ryan Weathers has looked very shaky, and consistency/availability have long plagued him. Ditto for Luis Gil, who won the 2024 AL Rookie of the Year but has been unreliable in both health and performance since.

As New York awaits the returns of Carlos Rodón and Gerrit Cole from the IL, the back end of the rotation could be in trouble. Games in April matter just as much as those in September, and losing ground early could be disastrous. Lagrange could be the antidote.

Almost as impressive as Lagrange's stuff is his mental makeup. Confident yet humble, diligent and professional, the 22-year-old is wise beyond his years. He only has 78 1/3 innings at Double-A under his belt, but Anthony Volpe's lack of experience in the upper minors didn't delay his ascension. Why should it stand in the way of Lagrange's?

The Yankees probably won't be bold enough to do this, but if they are, it could pay major dividends. Lagrange could stabilize the rotation now and would then have three years to yield the team an extra first-rounder. If they were willing to gamble $22 million on Trent Grisham leaving and netting a fourth-round pick, why not take a chance on a less costly, higher-reward play? It makes too much sense not to.