RADIO
George Lombard Jr. Heating Up After Returning From Injured List
In his last five games for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, New York Yankees shortstop prospect George Lombard Jr. has nine hits and a home run, and he homered twice in his rehab assignment with the FCL Yankees in the two games prior. To say the Yankees' top overall prospect has been red-hot would be an understatement. His hot streak makes the shouts louder and louder from Yankees fans for a promotion, but nothing is official as of this moment. Fantasy managers, however, would be wise to add the 21-year-old now. Lombard Jr. is a five-tool prospect and has put up good numbers between three minor league teams this season. He has 11 homers and 29 RBI in 253 at-bats with 12 stolen bases, all while hitting .281. He has 55-grade power and 55-grade speed, so he could be looked to for elite numbers in the power categories, all while contributing to the stolen base category as well. Now is the time to add the youngster.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
George Lombard Jr. Making Presence Felt at Triple-A in Return From Injury
New York Yankees infield prospect George Lombard Jr. returned to the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre lineup on July 17 and wasted little time making his presence felt with a home run in his return game. Lombard Jr. missed nearly a month with sprained fingers on his glove hand, but came back with a bang. In 11 July at bats, Lombard Jr. already has three homers and three RBI between the FCL Yankees and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The 21-year-old is regarded as the top prospect in the Yankees' system and is making a case for a big league shot sooner rather than later. But at age 21, the Yankees could be patient with their prized prospect and wait on his big league debut until next season. The right-handed hitter has had an injury plagued season up to this point and it might be more beneficial for the Yankees to see him get back to full health at Triple-A during the second half of this season.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
George Lombard Jr. Activated From Minor-League Injured List
New York Yankees shortstop prospect George Lombard Jr. (fingers) has been activated from the seven-day injured list at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Friday, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. Lombard will return to the RailRiders after playing in a couple of rehab contests in the rookie-level Florida Complex League during the All-Star break. He's been on the shelf since June 16 with finger injuries, but he's good to go now and will carry a .231/.381/.385 slash line with four home runs, 15 RBI, 30 runs scored, and eight stolen bases in 42 games at Triple-A into the second half of the season. The Yankees continue to say that they think their top prospect, per MLB Pipeline, will be ready to join the big-league roster well before rosters expand in September. The 21-year-old 6-foot-2, 190-pounder is the future at the position in the Bronx, and the Yankees seem ready to move on from Anthony Volpe. Lombard's contact abilities are less-than-ideal right now, but he takes his walks and has plus raw power and speed at a premium position, making him a priority stash candidate in most fantasy leagues for an inevitable second-half debut.
Source: New York Daily News - Gary Phillips
Source: New York Daily News - Gary Phillips
George Lombard Jr. a Name to Closely Monitor for Late-Season Call-Up
New York Yankees infield prospect George Lombard Jr. is currently on a rehab assignment for the FCL Yankees after injuring his left hand at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. A first-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, Lombard has impressed when healthy this season, racking up 10 homers and 27 RBI with a .263 batting average between three minor league teams this season, including Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Lombard is the top prospect in the Yankees' minor league system. The 21-year-old boasts an elite power bat and fielding skills graded as elite. The elite fielding won't help us in fantasy, but it could help Lombard get a look in New York quicker than otherwise. He can also run a bit on the bases and has recorded 12 stolen bases between the three minor league levels. The Yankees have some capable middle infielders at the big-league level in Jose Caballero and Anthony Volpe, among others, but Lombard needs to prove his health first. If he can return to action, a big-league shot could follow, and fantasy managers will want to pay attention for his five-category upside.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
George Lombard Jr. Could Join Yankees Well Before September
The Athletic's Chris Kirschner and Brendan Kuty write that if New York Yankees shortstop prospect George Lombard Jr. (fingers) shows that his sprained fingers are no longer an issue, he "could find himself playing shortstop in the Bronx well before the calendar turns to September." Lombard, the Yankees' top prospect per MLB Pipeline, began a rehab assignment on Monday, and the team is hoping that he will return to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre soon. "He's been pushing himself before the injury," general manager Brian Cashman said last week. "Definitely was thriving and conquering the final level. Looking forward to getting him back and active. He might be a choice at some point." The 21-year-old former first-rounder in 2023 has hit .263/.396/.475 with an .870 OPS, 10 home runs, 27 RBI, 12 stolen bases, and 51 runs scored in 64 games across three minor-league levels in 2026 and is the clear shortstop of the future in the Bronx, perhaps as early as the next month or two to take over for Anthony Volpe at the 6. Lombard is one of the best shortstop stashes in all fantasy baseball formats for the second half.
Source: The Athletic - Chris Kirschner and Brendan Kuty
Source: The Athletic - Chris Kirschner and Brendan Kuty
George Lombard Jr. Homers in First Rehab Game, Time to Stash?
New York Yankees shortstop prospect George Lombard Jr. (finger) began a rehab assignment on Monday with the team's Florida Complex League affiliate and quickly made his presence felt. The Yankees' top-ranked prospect garnered three plate appearances, drawing a walk in one at-bat and homering in another. He also attempted a stolen base, and although he was caught, it was promising to see him kicking off the rust from his month-long layoff. The former first-rounder is working his way back from a sprain in two of his fingers, and with a successful rehab assignment, he should be on track to rejoin Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre by next week. The 6-foot-2 slugger had begun to find his footing with the RailRiders just before the injury, going 12-for-34 (.353) during a nine-game hit streak, including seven doubles, a pair of home runs, and two stolen bases. The 21-year-old looks primed to make his major league debut later in the second half and should be considered a worthy stash option in deeper 12-team leagues for his potential to impact multiple fantasy categories.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Will George Lombard Jr. Debut in the Second Half?
New York Yankees top infield prospect George Lombard Jr. put himself near the top of the stash rankings before hitting the Triple-A injured list in mid-June. Over his last 23 games before hitting the injured list (May 22 through June 16), the top-ranked prospect in the system posted an elite .277/.398/.542 line with 10 doubles, four home runs, and four stolen bases. However, over his first 19 games at the Triple-A level this season, Lombard stumbled to a .178/.362/.205 line. While he began the season at Double-A, Lombard quickly showed that he was more than ready to join the top club. Managers should continue to keep a close eye on his status as he works his way back from a finger injury, as he recently resumed baseball activities. If he can return to the diamond shortly after the All-Star Game, he should quickly compete for at-bats at the MLB level given Anthony Volpe's inconsistencies.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Jose Caballero a Useful Add for Speed, Roster Flexibility
New York Yankees infielder/outfielder Jose Caballero hit two home runs to begin the week on Monday against the Tampa Bay Rays, reminding fantasy managers that he can show off some power occasionally in addition to his speed. The 29-year-old began the year as New York's starting shortstop with Anthony Volpe recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. Volpe has returned, but Caballero remains a key piece of the Yankees' lineup and has the versatility to play pretty much anywhere on the diamond. In 80 games and 289 plate appearances in 2026 in his first full season in the Bronx, Caballero is batting .246/.300/.398 with a .697 OPS, a career-high 10 home runs, 34 RBI, 21 stolen bases, and 35 runs scored. He's rostered in 69% of Yahoo leagues, so he's obviously not a complete unknown, but fantasy managers who need speed should jump on him if he's available. Additionally, Caballero has eligibility at second base, third base, shortstop, and the outfield, giving you plenty of roster flexibility. To begin the month of July, he's gone 6-for-23 (.261) with two homers, six RBI, three runs scored, and two stolen bases.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
George Lombard Jr. to Have a Role in the Majors Down the Stretch?
New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said that infield prospect George Lombard Jr. (finger) "might be a choice at some point" for the Yankees in 2026, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. Lombard is expected to start playing in rehab games around next week's All-Star break. Manager Aaron Boone thinks the 21-year-old is close to returning, and he has been hitting and fielding. The club's top prospect, per MLB Pipeline, is currently on the seven-day injured list at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The former 26th overall pick in 2023 has hit a combined .258/.387/.446 with an .833 OPS, eight home runs, 25 RBI, 12 stolen bases, and 48 runs scored in 62 games with Double-A Somerset and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. If the Yankees bring him up in the second half, he's expected to become the primary shortstop in the Bronx, which would warrant attention from fantasy managers in nearly all leagues. The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder has some swing-and-miss concerns, but his long-term power/speed upside makes him one of the most intriguing infield stashes in fantasy.
Source: New York Daily News - Gary Phillips
Source: New York Daily News - Gary Phillips
George Lombard Jr. Remains Shelved, is He Still Worth Stashing?
New York Yankees infield prospect George Lombard Jr. (finger) was placed on the 7-day injured list for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre back on June 18 and has yet to return to the field. Despite the injury, the Yankees' top-ranked prospect was nominated to the AL All-Star Futures Team after starting the season at Double-A and earning a promotion to Triple-A at the end of April. The former first-round draft pick had begun to find his footing at that level just before the injury, riding a nine-game hit streak before that, during which time he went 12-for-34 (.353) with seven doubles, two home runs, and two steals. Not only that, but he also saw his strikeout rate hold steady after the jump to Triple-A (21.1 percent to 21.3 percent) and the 21-year-old's walk rate actually jumped higher (13.3 percent to 17.8 percent). If he can return shortly after the All-Star break and get rolling again, there's a good chance the 6-foot-2 slugger will be summoned for his major league debut later in the second half, and with some fantasy-friendly tools, he makes for a worthwhile stash in deeper 12-team leagues.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Jose Caballero Reaches Double-Digit Homers After Hitting Two Long Balls
New York Yankees infielder/outfielder Jose Caballero carried the Yankees' offense on Monday night in a 5-1 win on the road against his former team, the Tampa Bay Rays. Caballero went 2-for-3 at the plate with two home runs and four RBI to boost his season average to .249 and his OPS to .711. The speedy 29-year-old native of Panama hit a three-run bomb in the fifth inning off Rays starter Griffin Jax and then clubbed a solo homer in the eighth inning to account for all but one of New York's runs on the night at Tropicana Field. It was his first multi-homer game since August of last year against Tampa. It was nice to see from Caballero, who came into Monday's tilt with a .152/.220/.217 slash line, a homer, four RBI, five stolen bases, five runs scored, four walks, and 16 strikeouts in his last 14 games since June 20. Caballero is mostly attractive in fantasy leagues for his speed and multi-position eligibility in Yahoo leagues at second base, third base, shortstop, and the outfield. He's now up to 10 home runs, 33 RBI, and 20 stolen bases in 277 plate appearances in 2026.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
George Lombard Jr. Continues to Maintain Stash Upside While on the Shelf?
New York Yankees top-ranked prospect George Lombard Jr. (finger) has been on the 7-day injured list (Triple-A) for nearly a month but has maintained his value for those in deeper leagues. Prior to hitting the injured list, the team's top infield prospect was taking a massive step forward at the top club in the system. Over his last 15 games (May 31 - June 16), Lombard carried an elite .321/.431/.642 line with eight doubles, three home runs, and two stolen bases. Prior to this elite stretch, the former 26th overall pick from the 2023 MLB Draft carried a much lower .184/.356/.252 line with just one round-tripper. Lombard opened the 2026 season in Double-A but quickly moved up to Triple-A. He remains a must-watch prospect as he may not need much longer at Triple-A following his return to earn a spot in the Bronx. His five-category upside makes him a worthy target in 12+ team leagues ahead of the All-Star break.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Anthony Volpe Worth Rostering Despite Lack of Power?
New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe has held off Jose Caballero at the 6 in the Bronx, but it's primarily due to injuries to New York's outfield and third baseman Ryan McMahon (illness). Volpe didn't make his 2026 season debut with the Yanks until May 13 while rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery. The 25-year-old former 30th overall pick in 2019 has hit a middling .246/.343/.336 with a .679 OPS, just one home run, 13 RBI, 18 runs scored, and seven stolen bases in 38 games across 140 plate appearances. Volpe wasn't a whole lot better in 24 games (84 plate appearances) in June, going 18-for-75 (.240) with zero home runs, three doubles, a triple, five RBI, nine runs scored, and three stolen bases. If anything, Volpe carries some weight for fantasy managers in deeper leagues for his speed while he's playing regularly for the Yankees. However, when the team gets healthier in the outfield, Volpe could lose out on playing time at the 6 to Jose Caballero. Volpe was a 20-20 man in his rookie season in 2023, but he has a career .224 average and appears to have lost his power stroke as he works his way back from shoulder surgery.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
George Lombard Jr. a Must-Stash Prospect Despite Injury?
New York Yankees infielder George Lombard Jr. (fingers) is the team's top prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and he could push for a big-league promotion in 2026. The 21-year-old landed on the seven-day injured list at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre with two sprained fingers on his left hand in the middle of June, but even though he's currently injured, fantasy managers in deeper leagues may want to consider stashing him now. In 20 games with Double-A Somerset before his promotion, Lombard hit .312 (24-for-77) with four home runs, 10 RBI, 18 runs scored, and four stolen bases. In 42 games with the RailRiders after his promotion, he's slashed .231/.381/.385 with a .765 OPS, four home runs, 15 RBI, 30 runs scored, and eight stolen bases across 197 plate appearances. It's unclear exactly how much longer he'll be out at Triple-A, but Lombard's above-average raw power and speed from the right side make him a very intriguing prospect to stash. He's the clear shortstop of the future in the Bronx and has 25-25 potential. Lombard is rostered in only 4% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
George Lombard Jr. No Longer on the Stash Radar Following Injury?
New York Yankees shortstop prospect George Lombard Jr. (finger) was recently placed on the 7-day injured list at Triple-A with sprained fingers in his left hand. Prior to the injury, Lombard was showing strong signs of growth at the top club of the Yankee system and putting himself firmly on the stash radar. However, with him now on the injured list, his stash value has taken a significant hit. When placed on the injured list, Yankee manager Aaron Boone noted that there were "good signs" from the initial testing, but the team has yet to provide a direct timetable for his recovery. Over his last 15 games before hitting the shelf, the team's top-ranked prospect was enjoying a surge at the plate, carrying a .321/.431/.642 line with eight doubles, three home runs, and two stolen bases. Managers in deeper leagues should pay close attention to his recovery. Once he is cleared to begin baseball activities, he will carry high-end stash appeal, as he remains New York's long-term solution at shortstop for the second half.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
