Aaron Judge Drops Exciting 5-Word Praise for Top Yankees Prospect
It’ll likely be a few years before Aaron Judge and George Lombard Jr. regularly share a spot in the New York Yankees lineup. Good thing Judge already loves what he sees in the 19-year-old shortstop. Lombard, the Yankees’ consensus No. 2 prospect behind outfielder Jasson Domínguez, has impressed throughout the spring. The 2023 No. 26 selection owns a .333 average, two home runs, and four RBI across eight preseason games.
Lombard turned heads again Tuesday, drilling a 106 mph single off Phillies ace Zack Wheeler.
Count Judge, himself a former top prospect, among those extremely impressed thus far. “He’s gonna be something special,” Judge said, according to theNew York Post.
Judge specifically praised Lombardi’s work ethic and power. Although he only hit .231 across two minor-league levels last year, Lombard tallied 25 doubles, stole 39 bases, and had a .338 on-base percentage. For comparison, 40 MLB players had at least a .338 OBP last year. You’ll likely know some of the names on that list, from MVP winners Judge and Shohei Ohtani to Bobby Witt, Kyle Schwarber, and Francisco Lindor. “He’s a great kid,” Judge said. “He’s a hard worker who goes and does his thing,” the Yankees’ captain added. “He doesn’t say much. He shows up and does what he needs to do.”
It is unclear if Lombard will start the season at High-A, where he ended 2024, or move up to Double-A. At this rate, though, don’t be surprised to see Lombard in the Bronx before you know it.
If the New York Yankees still have lingering doubts about adding another starting pitcher, they should consult Luis Gil.
Gil, the reigning AL Rookie of the Year, suffered a high-grade lat strain last week. He won’t throw for the foreseeable future and is likely out until June at the earliest.
There were already concerns about Gil and the Yankees’ overall rotation entering spring training. Clarke Schmidt missed several months last year with a lat strain, and Gerrit Cole didn’t pitch until June after an elbow injury. Carlos Rodón has his own extensive injury history, including a forearm problem that kept him out from March through July 2023.
Yankees fans should be familiar with Gibson, the longtime Minnesoa Twins innings-eater who has bounced around the league in recent years. The No. 22 pick in 2009, Gibson owns a 112-108 record and 4.52 ERA across 12 seasons with five teams.
Gibson, who turns 38 in October, went 8-8 with a 4.24 ERA in 30 starts for the St. Louis Cardinals last year.
By no means is Gibson the most appealing name at first glance. However, his durability speaks for itself; Gibson has started at least 30 games in seven seasons, including a league-high 33 in 2023.
