Yankees call up George Lombard Jr., send down Anthony Volpe in telling move after trade deadline
The George Lombard Jr. era has arrived.
The Yankees called up their top prospect Monday night, a source confirmed, in hopes of the 21-year-old solving their shortstop problem as they head into the final two months of the regular season.
Anthony Volpe was sent to Triple-A to make room for Lombard. Jasson Domínguez and reliever Angel Chivilli were also sent down.
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Three years removed from being their first-round pick out of high school, Lombard had caught fire of late at Triple-A — in and around missing a month with sprained fingers on his left hand — to force the issue and earn a promotion.
“I think he’s had an outstanding year,” manager Aaron Boone said recently. “I think he’s gotten better. I think he continues to show a ton of progress. We love the kid and the makeup. It’s been fun to see him — any of your minor league players or prospects, you want to see them develop and get better. In George’s case, obviously a high-profile one, that’s continued to happen. It’s a testament to his work ethic and his talent.”
Since he arrived in the Yankees organization, the son of former big leaguer and current Tigers bench coach George Lombard has been hailed for his off-the-charts makeup and high baseball IQ.
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That, along with his high-level defense and offensive upside, allowed him to race through the minor leagues on his way to The Bronx.
GM Brian Cashman said in early July that Lombard was “plug and play ready to go” defensively, which should provide a solid floor for his introduction to the big leagues, and declined to part with him at the trade deadline. It remains to be seen what the Yankees get out of him offensively — he has typically taken at least a few weeks to adjust to new levels — though he demonstrated a high on-base ability and some emerging power throughout his time in the minors.
The Yankees began the season with José Caballero as their starting shortstop while Volpe finished off his rehab from offseason shoulder surgery. By the time Volpe was ready to return, Caballero was playing at a high level, so the Yankees optioned Volpe to Triple-A until Caballero suffered a small fracture in his finger.
That provided a lifeline for Volpe to get called up and he played well out of the gate before reverting to the kind of hitter he has been for most of his career.
Lombard’s arrival should provide another boost after the trade deadline in which the Yankees acquired first baseman/DH Luis García Jr. and outfielder Heliot Ramos.
