Scouting Report

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Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Arm: 55 | Field: 50 | Overall: 50

George Lombard was an exciting high school product in the Atlanta area who was taken by his hometown team, the Braves, in the second round of the 1994 Draft and went on to play parts of six big league seasons in a 16-year professional career. Now the bench coach for the Detroit Tigers, he’ll get to see if his son can beat his Draft spot as Lombard Junior showed off some intriguing tools on the summer showcase circuit and took a solid step forward in South Florida this spring.

The younger Lombard already looks the part at 6-foot-3 with a pro body that stands out among high school players. The right-handed hitter has a ton of raw pop to tap into and he showed it off at times last summer, though it came with some swing-and-miss concerns and some inconsistent at-bats along the way. Lombard has a long stride and is better runner underway, but he’s worked to improve his overall speed.

There’s some debate over where he lands defensively. While some would send him out as a shortstop, where he does show off a strong arm, good instincts and hands, most see an eventual move to third as he fills out that frame. That might put more pressure on the bat, but the power profile might fit there just fine. Teams will have to decide if they want to take Lombard early enough to keep him from heading to Vanderbilt, where he could develop into a first-rounder in a few years.

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 55 | Arm: 55 | Field: 60 | Overall: 50

One of the best athletes in the 1994 Draft, George Lombard Sr. committed to play running back at Georgia before signing with the Braves as a second-rounder and spending parts of six seasons in the big leagues as an outfielder. Now he's a bench coach with the Tigers and has a son who went in the first round of the 2023 Draft thanks to his combination of physical gifts and high baseball IQ. George Jr. batted .311 in a 13-game pro debut after signing for an overslot $3.3 million as the 26th overall pick last July.

Lombard could have solid tools across the board once he's fully developed. He has a sound right-handed swing and mature approach at the plate, allowing him to control the strike zone and employ the entire field. He already has plus bat speed and strength as a teenager, which translates into plus raw power that could grow as he fills out his projectable 6-foot-3 frame.

Lombard flashes plus speed but will probably settle in as a solid runner once he's physically mature. He developed advanced instincts while growing up around the game, and they're evident on the bases and in the field. He has the actions, hands and arm strength to be a quality shortstop for the long term and also has looked good at second and third base this summer.

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 55 | Run: 55 | Arm: 55 | Field: 55 | Overall: 50

George Lombard Sr. was a tooled-up two-sport star who went in the second round of the 1994 Draft, played parts of six seasons in the Majors as an outfielder and now serves as bench coach for the Tigers. His son may be even more physically gifted and also has advanced instincts after growing up around baseball. The Yankees selected him 26th overall in July, making him their third first-round shortstop in the last five Drafts, and signed him for an over-slot $3.3 million.

Lombard already offers considerable bat speed and strength, giving him present plus raw power that should increase as he continues to fill out his athletic 6-foot-3 frame. He comes with some mild swing-and-miss concerns but he also has a quality approach at the plate and a track record of performing against quality competition as an amateur. He uses the entire field and focuses on driving the ball from gap to gap.

Lombard has gotten quicker as he has gotten stronger, flashing plus run times and projecting as more of a solid runner. His high baseball IQ shows up on the bases and in the field, where he has the actions, hands and solid arm strength to remain at shortstop. It's possible he could outgrow the position, but if so, he profiles very well at third base.

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	08/06/2024	SS George Lombard Jr. assigned to Hudson Valley Renegades from Tampa Tarpons.
	05/11/2024	Tampa Tarpons activated SS George Lombard Jr. from the 7-day injured list.
	04/25/2024	Tampa Tarpons placed SS George Lombard Jr. on the 7-day injured list.
	03/07/2024	New York Yankees Prospects activated SS George Lombard Jr..
	02/25/2024	SS George Lombard Jr. assigned to New York Yankees.
	02/25/2024	SS George Lombard Jr. roster status changed by New York Yankees.
	08/27/2023	SS George Lombard Jr. assigned to Tampa Tarpons from FCL Yankees.
	07/31/2023	FCL Yankees activated SS George Lombard Jr..
	07/31/2023	SS George Lombard Jr. assigned to FCL Yankees.
	07/18/2023	New York Yankees signed SS George Lombard Jr..
	06/05/2023	SS George Lombard Jr. assigned to College Workout.
	07/16/2022	High School Workout activated SS George Lombard Jr..
	07/16/2022	SS George Lombard assigned to High School Workout.
	07/16/2022	High School Workout activated SS George Lombard.