The New York Yankees selected shortstop George Lombard Jr. as the No. 26 pick in the first round of the 2023 MLB Draft.
The 6-foot-3 18-year-old came out of Gulliver Prep School based in Florida where he was recognized for his plate discipline and defense. Lombard solidifies his role at the shortstop position with his long fast strides and strong arms. In a 2022 Perfect Game showcase, he recorded a 6.53-second 60-yard dash and a 1.63-second 10-yard dash.
In three major tournaments Lombard Jr — 2022 Perfect Game All-American Classic, 2022 National Showcase, and the 2021 Jr. National Showcase — the right-handed batter showed an increase in his swing efficiency and exit velocity, jumping from a 42% swing efficiency and 87 mph exit velocity in 2021 to a 56% and 68% on batting efficiency mark and a 97 mph exit velocity in the two 2022 showcases.
Throughout his high school career at Gulliver Prep as a Raider, Lombard helped his team make it to the Class 3A semifinals and was named one of the Miami-Dade County Athletes of the Year for 2023. During his senior year, he was recognized for his six home runs, 14 doubles, and 22 RBI.
Lombard, a Vanderbilt commit, can opt out of signing with the Yankees to play college ball and potentially raise his draft stock to higher in the first round.
However, the Yankees likely would not have made the selection if they weren’t confident that they could sign him and deploy him to their minor-league ranks for development.
The Yankees have raided Vanderbilt’s pipeline in recent years, most notably wooing shortstop Anthony Volpe from the school in 2019.
