Yankees George Lombard Jr.s future bright due to…
ATLANTA — George Lombard Jr. camped under a pop-up and glanced at the hitter, who was not working exhausting out of the box to an occupied first base. With one out in the inning during the Double-A Somerset sport, the shortstop thought rapidly and allowed the ball to hit the grass. He scooped it up, fired to first base for one out and then watched his first baseman throw to second for an unorthodox but heady double play.
“That’s one of the plays that you rehearse over and over in your head, hoping that you get the chance to do it eventually,” Lombard stated Saturday of a play he pulled off in late May. “When I’m out there I’m always thinking, trying to anticipate, trying to see what possibly can happen on this play just to be ahead of it.”
There are lots of tangible causes for the Yankees to like Lombard, though the IQ of a son of a coach is what they hope makes him the entire package deal.
All of Lombard’s instruments added up to an spectacular look in the Futures Game at Truist Park, where he made himself recognized — drawing a stroll, stealing a base and manufacturing a run in his first plate look, ripping a double in his second and later getting robbed of a single by diving heart fielder Slade Caldwell.
He was the lone Yankees consultant but not alone.
Before the 4-2 National League win, he watched his brother, Jacob, compete in the All-Star High School Home Run Derby.
Their father, George, is a former main leaguer and the present Tigers bench coach. There is a lot of baseball data that will get tossed around at household dinners.
Yankees prospect George Lombard Jr. fields a ground during warmups before the MLB Futures Game, received 4-2 by the National League. Getty Images
Lombard Jr. would possibly drop a pop-up on event when he can see a double play may be pulled off.
Last week, his sprint home from third base on a ground ball to third gained some online consideration: Lombard swung over to the sphere of play, sprinting home while on the grass a number of ft from the baseline, which seemingly performed a position in the opposing third baseman throwing to the skin of the catcher — who then was too late for a tag, Lombard sliding in safely.
“That’s a play that my dad is talking about all the time,” stated the 20-year-old, who solutions questions professionally and with a smile. “I learned it from him. … It was fun to finally be able to pull one of those off in a game.”
It just isn’t troublesome to envision Lombard — a natural shortstop who also has performed second and third this 12 months, with versatility and athleticism (25 steals in 81 video games this season) apparent property — to discover a home someplace in the Yankees infield over the next few years.
There is no doubting the intangibles, and Lombard is working to improve the tangibles.
The 2023 first-round decide sailed through High-A Hudson Valley (a .983 OPS in 24 video games) before beginning slowly at Somerset, with whom he entered this break hitting .203 with a .633 OPS.
Yankees prospect George Lombard Jr. hits during the third
inning of the MLB Futures Game. Getty Images
He stated he has made some changes at the plate and has begun feeling snug against the higher-up pitchers.
“[Double-A is] definitely a difference,” stated Lombard, who has had 354 plate appearances against pitchers older than him this season and two against a youthful pitcher. “Guys are a little older, guys are a little more mature, know what they’re doing. … But overall, it’s still baseball, it’s still a game.”
Lombard is the top-ranked Yankees prospect, leapfrogging Spencer Jones in a system that might look a lot totally different in a few weeks.
A participant with his make-up, potential and fame, all before he can legally drink alcohol, seemingly can be the best commerce chip GM Brian Cashman might money in at the commerce deadline.
A coach’s son understands as a lot — but also understands not to obsess about the future.
“I try to stay away from getting too caught up online and reading rumors and all that,” Lombard stated. “Control what I can control for the most part. … I stay present and be a good teammate. And I just worry about my business every single day. Whatever happens is going to happen.”
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