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Jacob Lombard Shows Off Tools in Professional Debut
Miami Marlins infield prospect Jacob Lombard capped off his professional debut with a home run and a stolen base in his last game at Single-A. It was an uneven showing through the first 22 games for the Marlins' fourth-ranked prospect, collecting six multi-hit efforts, including four home runs and 11 stolen bases, but he hit just .220 with a 39.4 percent strikeout rate. Even so, the future is still bright for the former first-rounder, who should show improvements in his first full season of professional baseball next year. There is 55-grade pop in his bat per MLB.com, along with 65-grade speed, so there is plenty to like about the 6-foot-3 slugger in terms of fantasy potential. The hit tool is the wild card here, but with his pedigree (brother of George Lombard Jr., who is already in the majors at age 21), assume he'll make the proper adjustments, and the power/speed upside is worth the batting average risk, leaving the 18-year-old as a worthy top-five pick in first-year player drafts.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
