Yankees showcase top pitching prospect as 2026 spring training invitees announced

The New York Yankees released their spring training non-roster invitees for 2026 on Thursday evening, and top pitching prospect Ben Hess is officially getting his first taste of MLB camp.

A reminder that this list is exclusively the special invitees who'll be joining camp and aren't on the 40-man roster. 40-man-protected prospects like Spencer Jones and Elmer Rodriguez will also definitely be there. So will recent waiver claims Osvaldo Bido and Yanquiel Fernández, in case you were sitting on the edge of your seat about those decisions. So will, of course, Aaron Judge and the starters — at least, before they head off to the World Baseball Classic.

The Classic is one reason this exhaustive list is actually a level more intriguing this season. After all, there'll be plenty of shoes to fill while the stars are away repping their countries for weeks at a time. A fringier prospect might get double the chances to shine this year, and there will be a lot of innings to soak up, as more established pitchers work their arms into shape.

With that in mind, check out the lengthy list, featuring a number of pitchers we hadn't heard of or thought much about until this moment, as well as some overlooked vets from the Yankees' roster housekeeping earlier in the winter.

2026 Yankees spring training non-roster invitees: Ben Hess in, Bryce Cunningham out

Duke Ellis might set the record for most consecutive invites to camp as an NRI.

Carlos Lagrange and Hess have the highest upside, and it's somewhat surprising that the arguably more polished Cunningham didn't get the call. Maybe he'll earn a call-up from minor league camp when it's necessary, or maybe he's starting behind/on an innings restriction this year after only throwing 54 1/3 frames last season.

Lagrange certainly feels like a midseason bullpen option, at the very least, and his 103 MPH heater should overwhelm a few hitters early as they get back up to speed. Hess has the build of a reliever but the mix of a starter, and posted a 2.70 ERA in seven Double-A starts after his midseason promotion, retiring 45 men by the K in 36 2/3 innings.

A laundry list of Yankees catchers will also pick up reps this March, and familiar faces in new places like Paul DeJong and Seth Brown will also get an extended look. And oh, yeah, George Lombard Jr.! Don't take him for granted. Some expected 2025 draftee Dax Kilby to be right alongside him, but he'll have to develop on the back fields a little longer, too.

Forget the lineup. Forget the man on the mound. Just get us to sunny Tampa now, and we'll figure out the rest later.