The New York Yankees are promoting their No. 1 overall prospect, George Lombard Jr., to Double-A, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Sunday.
More news: MLB Power Rankings — Dodgers Rise, Yankees Fall, AL West Team Skyrockets While Another Plummets
The New York Yankees are promoting shortstop George Lombard Jr., their top prospect, to Double-A Somerset, sources tell ESPN. Lombard, 19, was hitting .329/.496/.488 with one homer, 13 RBIs, 11 stolen bases and a 23-to-22 walk-to-strikeout ratio at High-A. A real big-time talent.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) May 4, 2025
Lombard, just 19 years of age, was dominating at High-A to start the season, slashing .329/.496/.488 with one home run, 13 RBIs, 11 stolen bases, and an OPS of .983.
Now, he’s moving up to the next level as he continues to get closer to making his MLB debut.
The Yankees drafted Lombard in the first round of the 2023 MLB Draft. The son of former MLB player and current coach George Lombard, the young shortstop has skyrocketed the prospect rankings, entering the 2025 season as the team’s No. 1 overall prospect.
Here is MLB.com‘s scouting report on the soon-to-be 20-year-old:
“Not only does Lombard feature the potential for solid or better tools across the board, he has the high baseball IQ to make the most of them. He possesses a sound right-handed stroke, recognizes pitches well, and uses the entire field, so he’s equipped to hit for average. He had surprising issues making contact against in-zone fastballs last year, but tightened that hole up as he gained more experience. He has more bat speed and strength than most players his age, which already gives him plus raw power that he’ll tap into more often as he learns to lift balls in the air more frequently.
“Lombard looks to make things happen on the bases with his solid speed and savvy. His instincts are even more apparent at shortstop, where he has smooth actions and covers plenty of ground to both sides. His quick hands and strong arm add to his defensive profile, and he also looked comfortable at second base last year — though there’s no doubt he’ll stay at short.”
More news: Blockbuster Trade Ideas for Dodgers, Yankees, Cubs to Fix Biggest Weaknesses
While Lombard remains a ways away from making his MLB debut — MLB.com projects him to do so in 2027 — this is a big step for the young infielder as he continues to show tons of promise at the professional level.
Last year, Lombard struggled across Single-A and High-A, hitting .231 with five home runs, 45 RBIs, 39 stolen bases, and an OPS of .672.
This year, though, he’s proven to be too good for the High-A level and will now get an opportunity to do the same at Double-A.
For more MLB news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
The post Yankees Promoting No. 1 Overall Prospect in Exciting Move appeared first on Newsweek.
