Hopefully, the Yankees are playing the long game...
The Yankees’ top prospect isn’t wasting any time.
George Lombard Jr., all of 19 years old, has been promoted to Double-A Somerset after a scorching start to the season in High-A Hudson Valley. The move, first reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan and since confirmed, marks a significant milestone in the shortstop’s fast-tracked journey through the minors.
In 24 games for the Renegades, Lombard posted a .329/.495/.488 slash line with 27 hits in 82 at-bats. He didn’t just hit, he walked at an elite rate, got on base nearly half the time, and showed flashes of gap power. And now, he’s skipping right past any waiting period and heading to a league where most pitchers are five years older than him.
When Lombard makes his Somerset debut, he’ll be the youngest player in the Eastern League, and one of just four players at Double-A aged 20 or younger, alongside Nelson Rada, Ethan Salas, and Sebastian Walcott. Lombard doesn’t even turn 20 until next month.
The Yankees are clearly betting big on his makeup and maturity, especially considering he played fewer than 60 games at High-A and didn’t exactly light it up last year, finishing 2023 with an 85 wRC+ in 29 games. This move suggests something more than just numbers. It’s belief. Confidence. A full-on green light from the Yankees’ player development brass.
Lombard has spent most of this year at shortstop, with brief cameos at second and third base. He’s got positional flexibility, and the Yankees tested that early, he played all three spots in Major League camp this spring, where he hit .231 (6-for-26) with two homers and four RBIs in 14 games.
And if the timing feels suspiciously convenient, it’s because, well… it is. One day before Lombard’s promotion, Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe missed a game with a shoulder issue, an uncharacteristic absence for one of the most durable players on the roster. While the team has labeled the injury as “day-to-day,” it coincides with a troubling stretch of infield chaos. Jazz Chisholm Jr., Volpe’s double-play partner, is already out for at least a month. The current backups? Pablo Reyes at second and Oswald Peraza. Let’s just say none of those options are particularly comforting. Except maybe Jorbit Vivas, who for some reason wasn’t in the lineup last night.
To be clear: No one’s suggesting Lombard is Bronx-bound next week. This isn’t about plugging a 19-year-old into a struggling MLB infield.
This is about building something long-term. MLB Pipeline currently projects Lombard’s big league ETA for 2027. But this aggressive early-season jump to Double-A hints at a faster track. If Lombard holds his own against older, sharper competition, 2026 suddenly doesn’t feel out of reach.
ALSO READ: Can Aaron Judge Hit .400? Aaron Boone’s Not Ruling It Out
Aaron Judge sang Lombard’s praises in spring. The front office clearly sees the potential. And now, Lombard’s getting a shot to prove it, against grown men, on a bigger stage, under a much brighter spotlight.
He may be years away from Yankee Stadium. But this move makes one thing clear: the Yankees are watching. And waiting. Closely.
mlb
MLB 
