Yankees Shouldn’t Rush Top Prospect to Big Leagues

Comparisons to Volpe

In the minors, Volpe only saw a handful of games at AAA. 22 to be exact, and he only had 99 plate appearances at that.

Lombard hasn't even hit AAA. The furthest he has played is AA, and he didn't tear the league up there. He hit .215/.337/.358 with just eight home runs. He hasn't even cracked double-digit homers yet at any level, or did so if you combined his stints if he moved up to a higher level in the minors in a season.

It's not to say that Lombard and Volpe are on the same trajectories, but they already watched one shortstop struggle for years after they potentially brought him up too early. Why do it again with somebody who is even younger than Volpe was the year he had his big Spring?

Boone on Lombard

This isn't to say that the right people in the Yankees organization aren't impressed by Lombard. One of his biggest fans is the manager himself.

"He's mature, he's a pro, he's physical [and] he's prepared," Aaron Boone said, according to the New York Post's Dan Martin. "He's played really well. He's swung the bat well, but also played phenomenal defense wherever."

Boone said the most impressive part about Lombard is the fact that he plays well no matter where the skipper puts him. It could be a foreshadowing of sorts for the young player — unless they trade him, of course.

"The fact he plays the other ones with the ease with which he does, that's what's impressive to me," Boone continued. "Wherever I put him — even going back to last spring — he makes a play every time that you're like, 'Dang, not a lot of people make that play, even if they're familiar with the position.' He's pretty special on the defensive side."

More Volpe Comparisons

Lombard Jr. being called up to the big club to play shortstop would be a fun story, the way it was for Volpe when he came up after the 2023 season. The fact is, there's a real shot that Lombard, who isn't even legally able to drink yet, could have an even worse season than Volpe did.

The fact is, Volpe may have been called up too early, but he was at least further along than Lombard was as he rose through the ranks and owned the top shortstop prospect spot across the league. In the minors, Volpe hit .257/.376/.505 across 275 games in the minors. If he wasn't close to mastering it by 22 years old, he was at least close.

Lombard has played in 255 games and is only 20 games behind where Volpe was before his call-up. He has hit .236/.359/.358.

Granted, when it comes to minor league development, slashlines aren't a one-size-fits-all. Especially as players rise through the ranks. It is still important to take that into account, given where the two players were in their respective ascents. 

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