Elmer Rodriguez to Start Yankees Grapefruit League Opener as Lagrange Draws Home Slot
Elmer Rodriguez will start the yankees’ Grapefruit League opener Friday in Sarasota, Fla., giving the club an early look at one of its top pitching prospects just days after full-squad workouts at Steinbrenner Field.
Yankees open Grapefruit League with Rodriguez start
Rodriguez, a 22-year-old right-hander acquired from the Red Sox last offseason in the trade that sent catcher Carlos Narváez to Boston, is slated to take the mound in the Grapefruit League opener against the Baltimore Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fla. Manager Aaron Boone praised Rodriguez’s upside, saying the righty has a chance to stick as a starting pitcher and calling him a prospect with a "really bright future. " Last season Rodriguez broke out across three levels, posting a 2. 58 ERA with 176 strikeouts in 150 innings.
Rotation shuffle gives Lagrange a home debut
The yankees shuffled their early spring rotation to hand Carlos Lagrange the home start Saturday at GMS against the Detroit Tigers, keeping Rodriguez for the road opener in Sarasota. Lagrange will throw the coveted home debut slot while Rodriguez gets the spotlight in the season’s first exhibition game on the road.
WBC departures and roster notes from camp
The club is also preparing for several players to leave camp next weekend for the World Baseball Classic: infielders Jazz Chisholm Jr., José Caballero and Amed Rosario, plus catcher Austin Wells will exit Steinbrenner Field to join their national teams. Aaron Judge will head to Team USA as captain and is scheduled to make his spring debut Saturday at home against the Tigers, starting in right field and expected to serve as the designated hitter on Sunday against the New York Mets; Boone said he wants Judge in four or five of the Yankees’ first nine games before Judge joins USA’s camp.
There are a few availability questions in camp: reliever Rafael Montero has a locker at Steinbrenner Field but has not reported because of paperwork and visa issues tied to his minor league deal and big-league camp invite. Meanwhile, right-hander Will Warren built his pitch count to 49 while throwing three innings of live batting practice; his fastball sat 93-96 mph during the session, and at one point he struck out Cody Bellinger, Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge in succession.
Rodriguez will also pitch for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic, and scouting outlets have moved him high in the organization’s prospect lists after he finished last season at Triple-A Scranton. Some scouting reports note his fastball can reach the upper 90s and highlight his command and mix of offerings.
The immediate schedule is clear: the yankees open their Grapefruit League slate Friday in Sarasota against Baltimore, Aaron Judge will debut at home Saturday against Detroit, and a handful of position players will depart camp next weekend for WBC duty. Managers and coaches will use those early games — starting with Rodriguez’s start Friday — to evaluate how the organization’s top prospects project into the season ahead.
