George Lombard Jr. Impresses Early in Yankees Career

George Lombard Jr., the 21-year-old shortstop drafted in the first round of the 2023 MLB draft, entered the major-league lineup at Yankee Stadium earlier this week. In a 5-4 victory over the Atlanta Braves, he recorded a hit, a walk, a strikeout and a run, and added a solo home run that gave New York a 4-2 lead in the seventh inning. The performance marked his second homer in his first four career games, making him only the seventh player in franchise history to hit at least two homers that early. He also played error-free defense in each of those games, registering at least one hit in all four outings.

Newsday

Lombard grew up immersed in baseball; his father, former major-league outfielder and current Detroit bench coach, played six seasons in the big leagues. The family pedigree has contributed to Lombard’s composure in the clubhouse, a trait noted by former Yankees. The 2023 first-round selection entered the majors after a strong showing in Triple-A, where he posted a .268/.405/.440 slash line with six homers, ten steals and a 126 wRC+ rating.

Newsday

• Batting average: .385 (5-for-13) with two solo homers and a 1.346 OPS.

The Yankees are raising their defensive ceiling with George Lombard Jr.

• Defensive metrics in his first 18 major-league innings: 2 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and 1 Outs Above Average (OAA).

The Yankees are raising their defensive ceiling with George Lombard Jr.

• Triple-A performance prior to promotion: .268/.405/.440, 6 HR, 10 SB, 126 wRC+.

The Yankees are raising their defensive ceiling with George Lombard Jr.

Lombard can become a star. Former second baseman Willie Randolph highlighted Lombard’s mental toughness and potential to develop base-stealing skills. Former shortstop Bucky Dent noted that Lombard’s swing shows power and that he appears ready for the faster pace of the majors. Hall of Fame manager Joe Torre referenced Sinatra’s famous line to underscore the significance of Lombard’s early success.

Newsday

• “I don’t think there’s any reason not to think that at this point,” — David Cone

Newsday

• “But when I see his instincts, he’s going to learn how to steal bases because he has speed,” — Willie Randolph

Newsday

• “From Triple-A to the big leagues, the game’s going to get a little faster, but it looks like he’s going to be OK,” — Bucky Dent

Newsday

• “You know what? I think he has the chance,” — Bucky Dent

Newsday

• “I was very impressed with his poise and how he handled himself in the field that night,” — White

Newsday

• “As Sinatra said, ‘You make it here, you can make it anywhere,’” — Joe Torre

Newsday

The Yankees have one more regular-season game against the Braves before traveling to Seattle to face the Mariners. Lombard is expected to start at shortstop in those contests, providing further opportunity to evaluate his offensive consistency and defensive impact.

Heavy