It has been over 4,300 days since Derek Jeter donned the Yankee pinstripes. In the decade-plus since, the Yankees have penciled in 22 different shortstops, endlessly searching for someone to fill the Captain’s shoes.
From fan-favorite Didi Gregorius to a few failed experiments, the search for Jeter’s successor has long haunted the organization. 12 years later, the Yankees may have finally gotten their answer with George Lombard Jr.
While he’s still in his honeymoon phase of being a big leaguer, fans have already seemingly seen enough to compare him with Jeter. Both were first-round picks who arrived in the majors at the same age and possess this effortless cool composure that makes the game look so easy.
Though the last time this occurred, it didn’t age well. Hype crowned Anthony Volpe as the next generation’s cornerstone, but four seasons later, he isn’t even in the majors. This time around, Yankee fans may be right with their claim.
The 21-year-old is the definition of a five-tool player. It will be hard for Lombard to live up to the royalty that Jeter is in, but he has all the traits to join that exclusive list of great Yankee shortstops.
A True Shortstop
If there was one thing for fans to harp on about prior Yankee shortstops, it was their defense. The Yankees routinely shuffled players out of position to fill the gap. Leaving fans holding their breath every time a ball was hit to the left side.
Converting Gleyber Torres from second base to shortstop was the first of these troubling decisions. He was an unnatural fit that instantly became a liability. Through almost 1,000 innings, he put up negative Defensive Runs Saved (-11) and Outs Above Average (-9).
The trend continued with Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who, despite winning a Gold Glove at third base, got moved to shortstop when he became a Yankee. While he was better than Torres, he didn’t possess the traits a true shortstop has.
Then fans got a taste of Volpe, who won a Gold Glove in his rookie year but never replicated that defensive prowess he once had. The simple eye test showed he wasn’t the right fit anymore. His range shrank, routine plays became hard, and his once-present consistency vanished.
“Anthony Volpe has never looked like a real Major League shortstop,” Joel Sherman of the New York Post said. What was supposed to be the decade-long solution quickly became another failed experiment.
That is what makes Lombard special; he is a real major league shortstop. He can stay on his feet, go up the middle or in the hole and make it all look routine. For instance, on Tuesday night against the Baltimore Orioles, he made a play look effortless that none of those past 22 Yankee shortstops have made.
Not only was starting pitcher Carlos Rodon in awe of the play. Manager Aaron Boone admitted he hasn’t seen anything like this in a long time. That’s high praise for a guy who played alongside Hall of Famers Barry Larkin and Jeter back in the day.
“He’s impressive man,” Boone said to Talkin Yanks. “The physicality with the athleticism. He’s long, the length, and it does seem like he’s got a great clock.”
Is Lombard the Best Defensive Shortstop in Baseball?
While not eligible for a Gold Glove this year, it isn’t hard to see that he may end up with multiple sooner rather than later. Lombard is doing unprecedented things right now in the field. He’s a vacuum over at short, and the metrics back it up.
In just 127 innings, he’s accumulated seven defensive runs saved. Only four shortstops have more than him despite his 14 games played. His dazzling defense is on display every night and is becoming a show in itself.
His phenomenal defense has given fans a breath of fresh air and an immediate impact on the field. Lombard handles both the routine and the spectacular with the best of them.
He attacks the ball with such smooth hands that it makes him look like he’s been playing the position for years. Fans love the nostalgia comparison to Jeter, but watching Lombard in the field is very reminiscent of Carlos Correa, a Platinum Glove shortstop.
An Immediate Fit in the Lineup
The biggest surprise with Lombard has been his at-bats. He was touted as a defensive wizard who would presumably struggle early on offensively, but he’s hitting .292/.352/.438 in 14 games with two home runs.
Since his call-up, Lombard ranks first in average, on-base percentage, and runs among Yankee hitters. He’s already racked up a hit in 10 of his 14 games, including four multi-hit performances. His production has inserted life into a lineup that was one of the worst since the All-Star break.
At just 21, he has an incredible baseball IQ that makes him a special player. It’s the little things in baseball that make a rookie stand out. The Yankees build their players to pull the ball and go all in on home runs, but Lombard doesn’t do that. He will go the other way or up the middle, which is what fans have desperately asked for.
That’s where the Jeter comparisons come in. Jeter built his career on that signature inside-out swing to drive the ball to right, which Lombard mimics. Plus, the mature at-bats he has on top of that. Against future Hall of Famer Chris Sale, Lombard turned a strikeout into a walk after two successful ABS challenges, and he would score later that inning.
Being 21 and thrown into a division race while playing on the biggest stage isn’t easy. But Lombard has made it look easy. He has already amassed 1.1 bWAR, which is more than Manny Machado, Ronald Acuna Jr. and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. have put up.
He’s a second-generation player who lives and breathes the game at a level the organization hasn’t seen since Aaron Judge. Lombard has plenty of time to unlock his raw power, grow into a great shortstop, and become a true leadoff hitter in the future. This isn’t just another stopgap but the anchor of the Yankees infield for years to come.
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