Yankees top pick shifts positions in early Double-A action
It's too soon to project where George Lombard Jr. might ultimately land on the diamond, but the Yankees are already testing out his versatility. The 2023 first-round pick has started games at shortstop, second base, and third in the two weeks since his promotion to Double-A Somerset. The move mirrors the Yankees' broader trend across their system—developing young hitters while stretching their defensive value early.
Here's a look at how the Yankees' prospects did last week.
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MINORS MATTERS
Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
Record: 21-22 (Fifth in the International League East)
Up next: Six-game series vs. Nashville begins Tuesday night.
Worth watching:
Third baseman Jose Rojas became the first RailRiders player in team history to hit three grand slams in a season, each one coming this month. He's hitting .258 with eight home runs and 35 RBIs in 37 games.
Catcher Jesus Rodriguez has reached base in 26 straight games. He was a late scratch Sunday against Toledo but is batting .385 with one homer, 13 RBIs, and 24 runs in 26 games.
Veteran catcher Alex Jackson, a .132 hitter in 124 MLB games, is batting .323 with six homers and 22 RBIs in 18 games.
New York Yankees top prospect George Lombard, Jr. takes a swing.© Patrick Oehler/Poughkeepsie Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Double-A Somerset
Record: 17-21 (Fourth in the Eastern League Northeast)
Up next: Six-game road series at New Hampshire begins Tuesday.
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Worth watching:
Center fielder Spencer Jones, out since May 4 with a rib muscle injury, has resumed hitting in the indoor cage and doing on-field defensive drills. He remains day to day.
Shortstop George Lombard Jr. has started games at second and third base in recent days while continuing to get reps at short. Since his promotion from High-A Hudson Valley, he's hitting .182 and is 3-for-4 in stolen base attempts through 11 games.
Catcher/first baseman Rafael Flores homered in his third straight game Sunday, tying Jones for the Eastern League lead with nine. Flores is batting .304 with 30 RBIs in 38 games.
Class-A Hudson Valley
Record: 26-12 (Tied for second in South Atlantic League North)
Up next: Six-game series at Winston-Salem begins Tuesday.
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Worth watching:
Third baseman Parks Harber is hitting .339 with three homers and 13 RBIs in 15 games since his promotion from Single-A Tampa.
Right-hander Bryce Cunningham (5-2) owns the league's fifth-lowest ERA at 2.14. Carlos Lagrange leads the circuit with 50 strikeouts. Four Hudson Valley starters have ERAs of 3.45 or better.
Class-A Tampa
Record: 19-20 (Fifth in Florida State League West)
Up next: Six-game series at Dunedin begins Tuesday.
Worth watching:
Tampa's offense broke out last week, winning five of six against Palm Beach and outscoring the Cardinals 47-16.
Third baseman/shortstop Owen Cobb is hitting .447 with three homers and 14 RBIs through his first 14 games. He began the season on Hudson Valley's injured list and was reassigned to Tampa on April 29.
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Left-hander Griffin Herring is 3-1 with a 1.40 ERA in seven starts. He's struck out 48 and walked 14 over 38 2/3 innings, ranking second in the league in ERA and strikeouts.
Florida Complex League Yankees
Record: 5-6 (Third in FCL North)
Up next: Home Monday vs. FCL Blue Jays.
Worth watching:
Right-hander Sunayro Martina is 1-1 with a 0.00 ERA across three games. He's allowed one unearned run and five hits in 9 2/3 innings.
Left fielder Isael Arias is hitting .310 with one homer and six RBIs in 10 games.
Related: Subway Series Star Backs Out, Leaves Mic and Questions Behind
Related: Yankees Players Fill In for Cabrera, Give Bronx Kids a Day to Remember
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