New York Yankees prospect George Lombard Jr. continues to impress in the minor leagues. The consensus top prospect in the organization has been on fire to start the 2026 season with the AA Somerset Patriots. In eight games, Lombard has already racked up 15 hits (eight of them for extra bases). He currently leads the Eastern League in slugging (.844) and doubles (six).
While Lombard has mostly faced minor league pitchers so far, he faced a significantly tougher test on April 14. Philadelphia Phillies ace Zack Wheeler was on the mound against Somerset in a rehab start. The three-time MLB All-Star led the National League in WAR and WHIP during the 2024 campaign.
Wheeler initially got off to a good start by striking out Lombard on a check swing. The 20-year-old then hit a deep fly ball to right-center field, only missing a home run by a few feet. Nevertheless, the prospect finally broke through with an RBI double off of Wheeler in the sixth inning. Lombard went on to pick up another hit later in the game after the Phillies ace was removed from the game.
After the outing, Wheeler praised Lombard. “He was taking good swings all night,” the pitcher said of the Yankees star, as reported by The Trentonian’s Greg Johnson. “You could tell he’s a good, strong kid. He has a good bat path. He’s gonna be a good player. Hopefully, I don’t have to face him too much.”
George Lombard Outshines Veteran New York Yankees Shortstop
GettyGeorge Lombard Jr. may join the New York Yankees sooner than expected.
The 2026 season will be critical for Lombard’s development. Many scouts and Yankees insiders believe that New York will be patient with the budding star. He is expected to remain in the minors throughout the year and then join the Yankees in 2027. This is, of course, assuming everything continues to go well during the current campaign. Lombard is widely seen as the shortstop of the future in the Bronx.
Interestingly enough, New York’s current typical starting shortstop, Anthony Volpe, was also in Somerset on April 14 for a rehab assignment. The infielder is recovering from offseason labrum surgery and is expected to remain in the minors for at least a couple of weeks.
With Volpe in town, Lombard was moved over to third base on the night. While he did commit his first error of the season at the hot corner, he also made several solid plays on the night. Volpe did not have as much luck as Lombard against Wheeler at the plate. The Yankees shortstop struck out twice in two at-bats against the Phillies ace.
New York’s Current Shortstops are Struggling
Although the New York Yankees are likely to be patient regarding Lombard, they may have to bring him up sooner than expected. Volpe has received plenty of heat in recent seasons thanks to subpar hitting and defense. He even recorded the most errors among American League shortstops in 2025.
Outside of Volpe, the Yankees are struggling at the position to start the current campaign. Manager Aaron Boone has typically deployed veteran Jose Caballero at shortstop this season. Ryan McMahon, however, has also played in the role.
At the moment, Yankees shortstops have combined to hit just .169 through 17 games. This is currently the lowest batting average among A.L. shortstops. Their combined OBP (.222) and OPS (.493) ranks 14th of 15 teams in the league.
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