Yankees add top prospect George Lombard Jr. to major-league roster

The New York Yankees announced that they will add top prospect George Lombard Jr. to the major-league roster, creating space by optioning Anthony Volpe, Jasson Dominguez and Angel Chivilli to Triple-A. The move also opens a spot for recent acquisition Heliot Ramos.

Lombard, the 26th overall pick in the 2023 draft, has been a regular feature on top-100 prospect lists, rising to 13th on Baseball America’s ranking and 20th on MLB Pipeline’s list. In Triple-A he posted a .268/.405/.440 slash line with six home runs and ten stolen bases over 262 plate appearances. A finger sprain kept him out for about a month in mid-June, but he is now healthy and ready for his major-league debut.

Yankees officials noted that Lombard’s defensive skills, speed and plate discipline give him a solid foundation as a shortstop. While scouts have identified catching high-zone fastballs as an area for improvement, his walk and strikeout rates have improved year over year. The promotion is viewed as a roster-fill move rather than a bid for rookie awards, as Lombard will lose rookie eligibility if he remains on the 26-man roster for the rest of the season.

"Lombard should provide a reliable defensive presence and a right-handed bat that balances a lineup dominated by left-handed hitters," a Yankees spokesperson said.