Yankees top prospect Lombard Jr. gets the best of an MLB rehabber
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George Lombard Jr. and two-time Cy Young award runner-up Zack Wheeler faced off for the second time in five days on Sunday afternoon.
MLB’s No. 22 prospect fared even better against rehabbing Phillies right hander this time, launching a 104.8 mph exit velocity home run to dead-center field in Somerset’s eventual 7-6 loss to Reading at TD Bank Ballpark.
When Lombard met Wheeler on Aug. 14, he went 1-for-3 off the three-time All-Star with an RBI double. This time, he swatted his third homer of the year in his first at-bat, then struck out on six pitches when he stepped in against him again in the third.
It was Lombard's third homer of the season. Through 13 games, the 26th overall pick in the 2023 Draft sports a 1.087 OPS and 172 wRC+, which rank 10th and 11th respectively among Eastern League batters with a minimum of 30 at-bats this season.
Part of Lombard's continually improving power numbers can be traced to him putting the ball in the air more frequently this season. After failing to post a flyball rate greater than 30 percent in 2024, the infielder took a notable leap forward by posting a 38.5 percent air rate while simultaneously dropping his ground-ball rate from 46.6 to 39.5 percent last season. That trend has continued this year, and Lombard's flyball rate has been 30.8 percent in 2026.
Over the past nine games, Lombard has started to flash more of his 55-grade power, collecting five extra-base hits in his last 38 at-bats -- an encouraging sign of a player adjusting to higher-level pitching. In 108 Double-A games last year, Lombard struggled to a .215 average with a .695 OPS.
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Thus far, Lombard hasn't sacrificed his plate discipline to increase his power numbers. A season ago, the 20-year-old drew 87 walks, 13th-most in the Minors. In 2026, he has posted a 10.9 BB percentage against an 18.2 K percentage, both above-average marks. His 9.6 swinging-strike percentage is his best mark since 2024 with High-A Hudson Valley.
Meanwhile, Lombard is continuing to flash other notable tools such as his 55-grade speed and 60-grade glove. In 80 innings at shortstop in 2026, the Miami native has yet to record an error. On the basepaths, he's 3-for-3 this season in stolen bases, just a year after he ran wild for 34 in 2025.