The New York Yankees, who own the second-best record in the American League, are primed to make another World Series run after losing in the championship round to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024.
With World Series aspirations in mind, any additions the Yankees make at this year’s trade deadline will be an attempt to strengthen the roster.
A significant question that general manager Brian Cashman must answer is what the organization is willing to give up to improve the team. Major League-ready players or prospects?
MLB Insider Makes Bold Claim About Yankeesâ Prospect
Bryan Hoch, who covers the New York Yankees for MLB.com, believes the Yankees’ No. 1 prospect on MLB Pipeline, shortstop George Lombard Jr., is the club’s top trade piece leading up to the July 31 deadline.
“Lombard has drawn praise from Yankees veterans and scouts from other organizations alike early this season, earning a promotion to Double-A at age 19,” Hoch wrote.
“Jazz Chisholm Jr. said during a recent rehab assignment that he expects Lombard will make it to the big leagues soon, where he will ‘rise and shine as a star.’ Double-A manager Raul Dominguez compared Lombard to Omar Vizquel defensively, saying he believes Lombard can be one of those guys to win a lot of Gold Gloves in the big leagues.”
Chisholm, who played three rehab assignment games with Double-A Somerset before returning to the Yankees on June 3, recently spoke highly of Lombard’s defensive prowess.
“George is pretty amazing,” Chisholm told NJ.com’s Max Goodman. “I know the numbers donât show it, but when you sit there and watch this kid â who is 19 years old â make every play on defense and barrel up every pitch that heâs supposed to barrel up, you canât wait until he gets to the big leagues and play with him in the big leagues.”
Would the Yankees Trade Lombard?
At 20, Lombard is a promising player and the only top 100 MLB prospect in the New York Yankees’ organization. He began the year at High-A Hudson Valley but quickly received a promotion to Double-A Somerset after hitting .329/.495/.488 with a .983 OPS in 24 games.
New York has a clear need at second base at the Major League level, but offloading a potential star in the making may be a risky move for the future.
Lombard’s offensive and defensive capabilities were on display during spring training, and the 2023 first-round pick impressed two-time AL MVP Aaron Judge.
âThe tools are all there,â Judge told the New York Post’s Dan at George M. Steinbrenner Field during spring training. âI saw him take ground balls on Field 2, and he had an infield of Jazz [Chisholm Jr.], [Anthony] Volpe, and Ben Rice. [Lombard] was smooth and athletic at third base. I know heâs a shortstop, but watching him at different spots, Iâm excited for the future.â
Judge also noted Lombard’s work ethic, something that could surely help the Yankees sometime down the road. The shortstop’s estimated arrival in MLB is 2027, and trading him now would remove Yankees fans’ ability to watch Lombard and Judge share the field at Yankee Stadium.
As a highly rated prospect with the tools to become a star, the Yankees would likely ask for a significant return in a potential trade involving Lombard. Still, there may be reluctance within the organization to take action, potentially including other minor league farmhands in trade talks instead.
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