Yankees make expected Spring Training decision on No. 1 prospect fans want to replace Anthony Volpe

The New York Yankees have begun making spring training cuts, and most of their moves have not been a surprise. 

As Opening Day nears, manager Aaron Boone and his coaching staff will have a better idea of who they want on the roster. New York's No. 1-ranked prospect on MLB Pipeline, shortstop George Lombard Jr., will not be joining the AL East club on its flight to San Francisco. 

On Thursday, the Yankees announced that Lombard, a 20-year-old with 108 games of experience at Double-A, was reassigned to minor league camp. This is an anticipated move that will have plenty of Yankees fans up in arms, but Lombard's first taste of the Majors was never going to be in the early months of the 2026 season. 

Lombard and Anthony Volpe's future with the Yankees 

Lombard hit just .185 in 27 spring training at-bats, but the Yankees have a glaring need at shortstop if Anthony Volpe is unable to improve on both sides of the ball. This puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the former first-round pick's minor league development. 

New York already views Lombard's defense as MLB-ready, but it is his approach and performance in the batter's box that need improvement. Lombard showed flashes of what he's capable of with a bat in hand when he went deep as the Yankees' leadoff hitter against Boston Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet. 

For now, Lombard seeks to improve his skillset and receive everyday reps in the minors, likely opening the year at Double-A before graduating to Triple-A - the final stop in a minor leaguer's path to a Major League debut. 

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