The New York Yankees began Thursday by delivering a dose of reality to their spring training roster. In a move that felt more like a scheduled appointment than a shock, the front office reassigned Carlos Lagrange to minor league camp.
Lagrange had spent the last few weeks turning heads with a triple-digit heater and a slider that seemed to defy physics, but the organization decided his flamethrower arm needs a bit more seasoning before it faces the bright lights of the Bronx.
However, the more telling update came later in the afternoon regarding Angel Chivilli. Acquired via trade during the winter, Chivilli was officially optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Prior to today’s split squad games, the Yankees optioned RHP Angel Chivilli to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Following today’s split squad games, the Yankees reassigned RHP Carlos Lagrange to minor league camp.
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) March 19, 2026
While he arrived with the pedigree of a high-upside arm, his performance in the Grapefruit League simply didn’t provide enough leverage to force the Yankees’ hand.
Credit: New York Yankees via Imagn Images
The Stat Line vs. The Stuff
If you look at Chivilli’s spring through a purely statistical lens, the numbers are jarring. He exits big league camp sporting a 12.91 ERA across 7.2 innings. In baseball terms, that is the equivalent of a student having a brilliant grasp of quantum physics but failing to show up for the midterm.
The raw talent is undeniable, evidenced by 10 strikeouts and a disciplined walk rate of just two free passes. Yet, the underlying issue has been a lack of command that led to three home runs.
Pitching is often a game of inches, and Chivilli has been missing his spots by miles in the wrong direction. When a pitcher has high-octane velocity but poor location, it is like driving a Ferrari at 100 mph into a brick wall. The speed is impressive, but the destination is disastrous.
Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
A Project in Progress
General Manager Brian Cashman knew exactly what he was buying when he sent TJ Rumfield to the Rockies in exchange for Chivilli. The right-hander struggled to a 7.06 ERA in the thin air of Colorado last season, but his metrics suggested a diamond in the rough.
Last year, his fastball averaged a blistering 97.1 mph, and his secondary offerings were even more lethal. Both his slider and changeup boasted whiff rates north of 40 percent.
In a vacuum, those are elite numbers. However, the Yankees are currently deep in a relief competition where reliability is the currency of choice. With arms like Kervin Castro, Cade Winquest, Brent Headrick, and Jake Bird all putting together more consistent spring campaigns, Chivilli found himself on the outside looking in.
The Scranton Lab
The move to Triple-A isn’t a demotion so much as it is a transition to a laboratory environment. In Scranton, the Yankees’ pitching coaches can work with Chivilli without the immediate pressure of a pennant race. The goal is to refine his command so that his elite movement translates into outs rather than bleacher souvenirs.
If the staff can bridge the gap between his “stuff” and his results, Chivilli remains a prime candidate to be a mid-season steal for a bullpen that always values fresh, high-velocity arms. For now, he heads north to learn to throw quality strikes.
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