Latest news with #HudsonValleyRenegades
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Yankees' 2023 11th Round Pick has flown under the radar this season
The Hudson Valley Renegades have gained a ton of attention in the Yankees news cycle for their fearsome foursome of Ben Hess, Bryce Cunningham, Carlos Lagrange, and Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz. Those four starters all were considered picks to click in the organization due to either their draft or prospect status entering the season, but it has left some other arms on that team overshadowed. One of those pitchers is right-hander Josh Grosz, who delivered one of the best starts for any Hudson Valley pitcher this season when he completed 6.2 innings of one-run ball, striking out nine hitters and walking none. With a strong mix that includes a good four-seam fastball that sits between 93-95 MPH, a sharp gyro slider, and an improving changeup with good two-plane movement. Josh Grosz Looking Sharp, Yankees Have Another Pitching Prospect Shining Credit: Patrick Oehler/Poughkeepsie Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images The Yankees selected Josh Grosz in the 11th Round of the 2023 MLB Draft, and last season, he had an up-and-down season as he pitched at three different levels of their organization. His 4.00 ERA in Single-A was a product of an incredibly high BABIP, but he settled in during the second half and earned a promotion to High-A with the Hudson Valley Renegades. Advertisement His 2.77 ERA with the Renegades was good, but the 20.5% K% and 13.2% BB% were below-average, and he'd have to improve on those marks to continue rising through the organization. The Yankees had him repeat in High-A this year after those seven starts, and while his ERA has risen to 4.30, the strikeout and walk numbers are vastly improved. Josh Grosz is walking just 8.9% of batters faced with a 30.7% strikeout rate, as he's been a swing-and-miss machine for Hudson Valley. While there are still some command hiccups, Josh Grosz has been able to hone his three-pitch mix from last season to get outs against some good competition in the South Atlantic League. He throws his four-seamer from a lower arm angle than most pitchers at 32 degrees, getting 16.1 inches of Induced Vertical Break, which allows it to play at the top of the zone. His gyro slider has tight spin that can cause hitters to swing over it at the bottom of the zone, as it's an effective pitch against both righties and lefties. Advertisement Grosz also possesses a changeup that has good vertical separation off of his fastball, and while his changeup doesn't have the huge speed differential that some pitchers chase, I think it's an excellent offering that's evolved into a reliable weapon. Earlier in the 2024 season, his changeup averaged between 7-8 inches of IVB, but in his final few starts, we saw that number drop more as he found ways to kill spin more effectively. READ MORE: Yankees' rookie starter can build off of career-best performance The ability to kill spin on his changeup created way more depth, and that depth makes the changeup devastating against left-handed hitters since it plays better off of his fastball at the top of the zone. Josh Grosz strikes me as a pitcher who has the stuff to be an effective MLB pitcher, but his strike-throwing abilities, health, and arsenal depth will determine whether he'll be a starter or reliever. Advertisement Josh Grosz is throwing strikes at a slightly higher rate than he did last season, although his first-pitch strike rate has dipped a bit, so it seems that he's not putting himself in an advantageous situation to get outs. That's an easy fix and something I expect to see improve as he continues to pitch with Hudson Valley, as the Renegades have done an excellent job refining the Yankees' top pitching prospects. Entering 2025, I did not rank Josh Grosz in my top 30 prospects, but this strong start and the ability to get swings-and-misses have put him right in that conversation. He could be an effective swingman at the Major League level who might develop into a backend starter, and for an 11th Round Pick that would be a roaring success. Related Headlines
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Yankees' 19-year-old top prospect George Lombard Jr. has sights set on the Bronx
WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y. — It wasn't too long ago that the Hudson Valley Renegades featured a bright, young, and immensely talented shortstop ticketed for stardom with the squad's parent club: the New York Yankees. That was in 2021, and that player is now a mainstay in the Yanks lineup. Advertisement The High-A affiliate for the Bronx Bombers is currently led by a player with a very similar profile, 19-year-old George Lombard Jr. Lombard Jr. was a first-round pick in 2023 and has soared up prospect ranking boards, including which currently has the son of a former major league player and current Detroit Tigers bench coach, as the Yankees' top prospect. The slick-fielding, bilingual (his mother is of Cuban descent) Lombard Jr. may soon be on a collision course with Anthony Volpe, that ex-Renegade shortstop who popped 15 home runs in 213 at bats in '21, for the coveted shortstop position in New York. It may be premature to envision a competition there, but that enviable 'problem' may also become moot thanks to Lombard Jr.'s versatility. Advertisement 'I've played shortstop my whole life; I love playing shortstop, but I pride myself on being a good baseball player,' Lombard Jr. told USA TODAY Sports. 'I've never played outfield before, but I am confident that if I had to go play outfield tomorrow, I could figure it out.' George Lombard Jr. hit two homers as a 19-year-old in 2025 spring training. Lombard Jr. can also play other infield positions – having already seen time at second and third this year. 'We drafted him as a shortstop. I think that is probably where he stays, (but) you never know with this game,' said Renegades manager James Cooper. 'George is a baseball player. If he had to be a catcher, he could be a catcher. If he had to be a center-fielder, he'd be a center-fielder.' Advertisement While there may be some discussion regarding his future position, the South Florida native, who according to Cooper, 'got after it in the weight room,' is eliminating all questioning regarding his performance at the plate. 'He's a lot stronger,' said Tom DeAngelis, the Renegades' hitting coach. 'He's hitting the ball really well; he's making great decisions.' The strength and know-how have translated into strong numbers early on. Lombard Jr.'s exit velocity has clocked in at over 110 mph, and he's batting .306 with nine steals, 20 walks to 18 strikeouts and a .956 OPS entering Monday. Advertisement It amounts to a great deal of optimism from both Yankees fans, and those who witness his prowess each day. 'In terms of his potential at the plate – it's really staggering,' said Joe Vasile, Hudson Valley's play-by-play broadcaster. 'What I have been so impressed with is his natural power to right field and to right-centerfield. And, I think in Yankee Stadium that's the kind of thing that could make him(a) 25-30 home run per year guy.' While the youngster continues to garner accolades, including receiving a huge compliment from Aaron Judge during spring training, Lombard Jr. is similar to most teenagers. He loves sushi, pizza, and the tacos at Hudson Taco, listens to hip hop, reggae, Spanish music, and Salsa, and especially enjoys performers including J. Cole, old school New York rappers, and Celia Cruz. Advertisement But it's his maturity that makes Lombard Jr., who turns 20 on June 2, so unique. During a recent interview with USA TODAY Sports, Lombard Jr. mentioned multiple times that he is 'staying where my feet are and staying present.' Not an easy task for someone so young and talented, and for a player with such lofty expectations. 'He never looks like he's out of control on the field,' said Vasile. 'He never looks like he's overly emotional; just kind of cool, calm, and collected all of the time. And he's very much the same off the field too.' According to Lombard Jr., that ability to be laser focused on the task at hand is a direct reflection on the tutelage he was provided by his parents. Advertisement 'I give a lot of that credit to my dad and my mom too,' said Lombard Jr. 'She probably doesn't get as much credit as she deserves – probably never will. She has just been such a staple in my life.' His father George Lombard Sr. played 144 MLB games from 1998-2006 with the Atlanta Braves, Detroit Tigers, Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Washington Nationals before beginning his coaching career, serving as the Los Angeles Dodgers' first-base coach from 2016-2020 and Detroit's bench coach since 2021. The younger Lombard's ability to excel on the field, serve as a team leader, and expertly handle the attention - all at such a young age, has impressed just about everyone he's come in contact with this season – including his teammates. 'It's unbelievable,' said Renegades infielder Jose Colmenares. 'This guy is out of this planet.' Advertisement The Renegades season began a few short weeks ago, but if Lombard Jr. continues the trajectory he's been on, there soon may be calls to promote him to Double-A Somerset. But while Lombard Jr. says a callup to Somerset this season would be 'great,' the eventual goal is to play at what legendary sports talk show host Art Rust Jr. called, 'the big ball orchard in the South Bronx.' The timetable for that is fluid, but if the opportunity does present itself, Lombard Jr. knows it will be memorable for numerous reasons, including the famous 'Roll Call' chant initiated by the 'Bleacher Creatures'. 'It's a special feeling – that energy, the passion,' said Lombard Jr. 'I can't speak from experience, but from what I've heard it's something that you feel deep down and it sticks with you. I couldn't tell you how it's going to feel, but I can tell you that I would be pumped for it and really excited to get there one day.' Advertisement The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Yankees' top prospect George Lombard Jr., 19, has sights set on Bronx
USA Today
29-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Yankees' 19-year-old top prospect George Lombard Jr. has sights set on the Bronx
Yankees' 19-year-old top prospect George Lombard Jr. has sights set on the Bronx WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y. — It wasn't too long ago that the Hudson Valley Renegades featured a bright, young, and immensely talented shortstop ticketed for stardom with the squad's parent club: the New York Yankees. That was in 2021, and that player is now a mainstay in the Yanks lineup. The High-A affiliate for the Bronx Bombers is currently led by a player with a very similar profile, 19-year-old George Lombard Jr. Lombard Jr. was a first-round pick in 2023 and has soared up prospect ranking boards, including which currently has the son of a former major league player and current Detroit Tigers bench coach, as the Yankees' top prospect. The slick-fielding, bilingual (his mother is of Cuban descent) Lombard Jr. may soon be on a collision course with Anthony Volpe, that ex-Renegade shortstop who popped 15 home runs in 213 at bats in '21, for the coveted shortstop position in New York. It may be premature to envision a competition there, but that enviable 'problem' may also become moot thanks to Lombard Jr.'s versatility. 'I've played shortstop my whole life; I love playing shortstop, but I pride myself on being a good baseball player,' Lombard Jr. told USA TODAY Sports. 'I've never played outfield before, but I am confident that if I had to go play outfield tomorrow, I could figure it out.' Lombard Jr. can also play other infield positions – having already seen time at second and third this year. 'We drafted him as a shortstop. I think that is probably where he stays, (but) you never know with this game,' said Renegades manager James Cooper. 'George is a baseball player. If he had to be a catcher, he could be a catcher. If he had to be a center-fielder, he'd be a center-fielder.' While there may be some discussion regarding his future position, the South Florida native, who according to Cooper, 'got after it in the weight room,' is eliminating all questioning regarding his performance at the plate. 'He's a lot stronger,' said Tom DeAngelis, the Renegades' hitting coach. 'He's hitting the ball really well; he's making great decisions.' The strength and know-how have translated into strong numbers early on. Lombard Jr.'s exit velocity has clocked in at over 110 mph, and he's batting .306 with nine steals, 20 walks to 18 strikeouts and a .956 OPS entering Monday. It amounts to a great deal of optimism from both Yankees fans, and those who witness his prowess each day. 'In terms of his potential at the plate – it's really staggering,' said Joe Vasile, Hudson Valley's play-by-play broadcaster. 'What I have been so impressed with is his natural power to right field and to right-centerfield. And, I think in Yankee Stadium that's the kind of thing that could make him(a) 25-30 home run per year guy.' While the youngster continues to garner accolades, including receiving a huge compliment from Aaron Judge during spring training, Lombard Jr. is similar to most teenagers. He loves sushi, pizza, and the tacos at Hudson Taco, listens to hip hop, reggae, Spanish music, and Salsa, and especially enjoys performers including J. Cole, old school New York rappers, and Celia Cruz. But it's his maturity that makes Lombard Jr., who turns 20 on June 2, so unique. During a recent interview with USA TODAY Sports, Lombard Jr. mentioned multiple times that he is 'staying where my feet are and staying present.' Not an easy task for someone so young and talented, and for a player with such lofty expectations. 'He never looks like he's out of control on the field,' said Vasile. 'He never looks like he's overly emotional; just kind of cool, calm, and collected all of the time. And he's very much the same off the field too.' According to Lombard Jr., that ability to be laser focused on the task at hand is a direct reflection on the tutelage he was provided by his parents. 'I give a lot of that credit to my dad and my mom too,' said Lombard Jr. 'She probably doesn't get as much credit as she deserves – probably never will. She has just been such a staple in my life.' His father George Lombard Sr. played 144 MLB games from 1998-2006 with the Atlanta Braves, Detroit Tigers, Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Washington Nationals before beginning his coaching career, serving as the Los Angeles Dodgers' first-base coach from 2016-2020 and Detroit's bench coach since 2021. The younger Lombard's ability to excel on the field, serve as a team leader, and expertly handle the attention - all at such a young age, has impressed just about everyone he's come in contact with this season – including his teammates. 'It's unbelievable,' said Renegades infielder Jose Colmenares. 'This guy is out of this planet.' The Renegades season began a few short weeks ago, but if Lombard Jr. continues the trajectory he's been on, there soon may be calls to promote him to Double-A Somerset. But while Lombard Jr. says a callup to Somerset this season would be 'great,' the eventual goal is to play at what legendary sports talk show host Art Rust Jr. called, 'the big ball orchard in the South Bronx.' The timetable for that is fluid, but if the opportunity does present itself, Lombard Jr. knows it will be memorable for numerous reasons, including the famous 'Roll Call' chant initiated by the 'Bleacher Creatures'. 'It's a special feeling – that energy, the passion,' said Lombard Jr. 'I can't speak from experience, but from what I've heard it's something that you feel deep down and it sticks with you. I couldn't tell you how it's going to feel, but I can tell you that I would be pumped for it and really excited to get there one day.' The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
