The Yankees finally pulled the plug on the Anthony Volpe experiment, and the guy who's taking his job wasted no time making the case for why. George Lombard Jr., the club's top prospect, got the call to Yankee Stadium and delivered a debut that instantly went into franchise lore.
According to MLB.com, Lombard's solo shot in the fifth inning traveled 392 feet and made him the first Yankees shortstop ever to homer in his major league debut. He was 21 years and 63 days old at the time, the second-youngest shortstop the club has debuted in the last 4 decades. Not a bad way to introduce yourself to the Bronx.
It wasn't just the bat. Lombard also flashed the glove work that had scouts drooling in the minors, turning a double play that stood out even on a roster that's used to slick infield defense.
Lombard turns a double play in the Yankee infield that stood out immediately.
The timing lines up with how far Volpe had fallen. He won a Gold Glove and hit 21 homers as a rookie, but the bat never developed, and he was optioned to Triple-A for the second time this year before Lombard got the call. Not everyone thinks Lombard is a finished product either, or a lock to be better than Volpe was when he first arrived.
Interesting to note as Lombard replaces Anthony Volpe at shortstop, Volpe was considered a better prospect when he arrived in the big leagues. Lombard is more athletic, has better tools, should be better in the long run. https://t.co/3km6EDXalw
MLB Pipeline had Lombard ranked around the No. 20 prospect in baseball, and he backed it up in the minors this year, hitting.284 with 12 homers and 13 steals across 78 games at Triple-A. That combination of power, speed, and defensive polish is exactly why the Yankees felt comfortable making the switch mid-season instead of waiting for spring.
One game doesn't erase 3 years of Volpe trying to figure it out, and it doesn't guarantee Lombard sticks either. But for a Yankees infield that's needed a jolt, a home run and a defensive gem in the first game is about as loud a statement as a 21-year-old can make.