George Lombard Jr. Makes His MLB Debut with the New York Yankees
The New York Yankees have called up top prospect shortstop George Lombard Jr. ahead of their game against the St. Louis Cardinals, the team announced on Tuesday.
Lombard’s call-up comes after a series of roster moves by the Yankees following the trade deadline and their loss to the Cardinals on Monday night. The team optioned shortstop Anthony Volpe, outfielder Jasson Domínguez, and reliever Angel Chivilli to Triple-A, creating a spot for outfielder Heliot Ramos, who was a trade addition leading up to Monday’s deadline.
Luis Garcia Jr., acquired from the Washington Nationals in a deadline deal, made his Yankees debut on Monday night. The moves by the Yankees have opened up a spot for Lombard’s call-up, marking an exciting new chapter for the young player.
George Lombard Jr. has a promising baseball career ahead of him, with a strong track record in his previous seasons. Coming into the current season, CBS Sports ranked Lombard as the No. 26 prospect in all of baseball, highlighting his potential value across the board.
Lombard’s father, George Lombard Sr., is the current bench coach for the Detroit Tigers, and his younger brother could be a top pick in the upcoming draft. However, George Lombard Jr. is a talented player in his own right, with a compelling combination of patience and budding power that should cover for an elevated strikeout rate.
As a 21-year-old, George Lombard Jr. has thrived across three levels this season, boasting a slash line of .284/.411/.498 with 24 doubles and 60 walks in 78 games. He has also demonstrated his range and ability to convert on difficult plays, with a .405 OBP in 262 plate appearances at the Triple-A level.
The Yankees have struggled to get reliable production from shortstop this season, and while George Lombard Jr. may wind up as a glove-first talent at the highest level, the hope is that he’ll remain a strong on-base threat and find his way to more power production.
The Yankees will enter play on Tuesday with a record of 63-50, remaining in range of the first-place Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East and holding onto the top wild-card spot in the AL.
