Lombard displaying all-around game in spring camp

This story was excerpted from Bryan Hoch's Yankees Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

TAMPA, Fla. -- It was about an hour before Aaron Judge crossed the white lines for his first Grapefruit League game of the spring on Saturday afternoon, and the Yankees¡¯ captain was shagging a few extra fly balls on a practice diamond, just beyond the right-field seats at George M. Steinbrenner Field.

Judge¡¯s attention was drawn to third base, where Yankees prospect George Lombard Jr. was fluidly scooping up grounders, firing pellets to Anthony Volpe and Jazz Chisholm Jr. at second base. At 19, Lombard is the youngest player in big league camp, but Judge sensed the kid already seems to belong.

¡°I was really impressed,¡± Judge said. ¡°Seeing him move over to third base, he¡¯s got a great arm. He was accurate. He was hitting every single guy in the chest. Smooth hands; Anthony Volpe is one of the best shortstops I¡¯ve ever seen, and you put [Lombard] right next to him at third base, it¡¯s pretty cool to see that on the left side of the infield.¡±

Lombard soon made his presence felt on the other side of the ball, crushing a third-inning home run in the Bombers¡¯ 9-3 win over the Astros. Facing left-hander Bennett Sousa, Lombard tagged a 414-foot drive that struck the left-field scoreboard and came off the bat at 108.4 mph, per Statcast.

¡°That was a no-doubter,¡± manager Aaron Boone said. ¡°That¡¯s a little peek to see a young, physical kid continuing to develop into his body. [He has] unbelievable makeup and work ethic; just a really talented athlete. He¡¯s an exciting player with an exciting future.¡±

This is the first full big league camp for Lombard, who was the Yankees¡¯ first-round selection (26th overall) in the 2023 MLB Draft out of Gulliver Preparatory School in Pinecrest, Fla.

Drafted as a shortstop, Lombard got into a few games with the big league club last spring (and hit his first pro homer). He spent most of his 2024 season with Single-A Tampa, where he slashed .232/.344/.348 (72-for-310) with 17 doubles, two triples, five homers, 37 RBIs and 30 stolen bases in 81 games.

Lombard also played 29 games with High-A Hudson Valley, where he slashed .226/.321/.296. It¡¯s a level he¡¯ll likely see again when camp breaks.

¡°It being my first full year, [a lot was] learning the routine, learning what I need to prepare my body to play every single day,¡± Lombard said. ¡°It¡¯s just getting those experiences under your belt for the first full year. Once you¡¯ve had that and you¡¯ve learned from that, I can move on and just be more prepared for this year. You kind of know what it¡¯s going to be like now, to some extent, in the Minors.¡±

Another summer of long bus rides and greasy bag meals are on deck, but while he¡¯s in the big league clubhouse, Lombard is trying to make the most of his opportunity. He recently shared lengthy breakfasts with Paul Goldschmidt and Cody Bellinger, picking the brains of both veterans about their hitting approaches and preparations. Lombard has also been watching Judge closely.

¡°It¡¯s been awesome. It¡¯s been so much fun,¡± Lombard said. ¡°It¡¯s just been great to have a wealth of knowledge around me that I can learn from. I¡¯ve been trying to take advantage of it as much as I can, just being a sponge to absorb everything that I see around me.¡±

That comes naturally to Lombard, who grew up around the game -- his father, former Major League outfielder George Lombard Sr., was a first-base coach with Bellinger and the Dodgers until 2020. Lombard would occasionally wander through the clubhouse as a visitor during those years, and he proudly has earned a uniform and locker of his own.

¡°In your first camp, you¡¯re trying to come in here, you¡¯re trying to impress and sometimes you can maybe do a little too much,¡± Judge said. ¡°But he has stepped right in and has kind of owned it all. He¡¯s a hard worker, just like his dad. I¡¯m excited for his future, that¡¯s for sure.¡±