LAKELAND, Fla. — Luis Gil is hoping his UCL is not the only thing that improved coming off Tommy John surgery.

The Yankees right-hander made his spring training debut Saturday and flashed the stuff that made him an interesting prospect before undergoing elbow surgery.

Gil, who struck out three (but walked two) over two innings and 41 pitches, averaged 96.4 mph on his fastball and topped out at 98 mph, an encouraging sign as he continues to work back from the 2022 surgery.

“To be honest, I feel that right now where I am, as far as velocity and movement, I think it’s better now actually,” Gil, whose fastball averaged 96.8 mph pre-surgery, said through an interpreter at Joker Marchant Stadium. “It has to do with all the work we put together during the offseason and after the injury. But the work doesn’t stop there. … But I’m feeling pretty good and happy with where the velocity and movement is today.”

Gil now serves as important starting pitching depth for the Yankees beyond their top five starters.

At some point he could also find a role out of the bullpen, where his stuff might play up, though the key for him is throwing enough strikes.

“When I end up walking somebody, it’s because I try to be too perfect with the pitch,” Gil said. “I try to hit the mitt exactly in one particular part and not the inside area. Being able to recognize that and understand the counts I have to work with, I think that’s what gives me a better chance.”

Manager Aaron Boone indicated that trying to be too perfect — especially when he had count leverage — may have hurt Gil in his second inning of work, when he issued both walks and gave up a two-run homer.

“Obviously, he’s got plenty of stuff, you don’t have to make it better or nastier because you’re ahead in the count,” Boone said. “All in all, a good day for Luis. An important day for him in his return. Something to build on for sure.”

Trent Grisham is known for his premium defense in center field, but he offers some pop, too.

The left-handed hitter crushed a three-run home run Saturday off a left-handed pitcher, a 421-foot shot hooked down the right-field line.

“Results feel good early, but they’re also fleeting,” Grisham said.

Grisham, who came over in the Juan Soto trade, has hit lefties better than righties in his career.

“Those are always fun at-bats that I take pride in,” Grisham said.

Catcher Luis Torrens and second baseman Jorbit Vivas also clobbered home runs in a game the Yankees won 22-10 over the Tigers.