Yankees predicted to trade former first-round pick for bullpen, Carlos Lagrange reasons originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

For the most part, the New York Yankees stood pat with their bullpen during the offseason.

They made minor moves, like re-signing Ryan Yarbrough and Paul Blackburn. The Yankees also made a trade for right-hander Angel Chivilli from the Colorado Rockies, but he's more of a long-term project.

It could benefit the AL East club to address its reliever situation, something that is not viewed as a strong aspect of the roster. ESPN's David Schoenfield predicts the Yankees will trade from their minor league depth to acquire a reliever.

"Yes, yes ... Yankees fans want a new third baseman ... a new shortstop ... a new center fielder ... relax. The offense will pick up," Schoenfield wrote Monday. "Maybe one of those positions will need addressing, but the bullpen still looks like the spot most likely to need help, although the Yankees can move a couple of starters there once Carlos Rodon and Gerrit Cole return."

The player Schoenfield tabs as New York's most likely trade candidate is right-handed pitching prospect Ben Hess. Hess is a former first-round pick from Alabama and owns a 3.52 ERA through his first two starts of the season with Double-A Somerset.

"Hess, the team's first-round pick in 2024 out of Alabama, is in Double-A after holding batters to a .177 average in 2025, but he's behind Carlos Lagrange and Elmer Rodriguez in the pecking order," Schoenfield added.

For as excited as the Yankees are about Lagrange and Rodriguez, Hess may be the odd man out. The Yankees have to improve their bullpen, and trading him may be one way to do it.

Explaining the absurdity of 2 MLB players named Max Muncy

This hitter has a worse OBP than his batting average

This slider is really good and moves the entirely wrong direction

This second-generation relief pitcher is on an absurd wins pace