Yankees infield prospect George Lombard Jr. fields some spring training Q&A from Post columnist Steve Serby.
Q: Do you have a timetable in your head as to when you hope or expect to be in the major leagues?
A: I wouldn’t say I have a timetable. I know that me focusing on the things that I can control, focusing on my work, on my play in the field, that stuff will kind of figure itself out. I just take it by day. Wherever I’m put is wherever I’ll go, and I’m gonna play my game and I know that things like that will work out.
Q: Have you visualized what it’s going to be like for you when you put on the pinstripes and run out onto the field one day at Yankee Stadium?
A: I have. I mean, I’ve definitely thought about it. When you’re in this situation it’s definitely something that crosses your mind, and I think I visualized it more of a point of I want to be prepared when I get there and have already gone through it in my head, and obviously it’s never going to replicate what it will be like in real life. … Yeah, I’ll definitely have those mental reps.
Q: Paint that scene for me.
A: I think for me it was always when you get to put on the pinstripes, you get to be in The Bronx. It’s gonna be a stadium filled with people that are passionate, that are intense, that are gonna want to win. But the biggest part for me is it’s still baseball, it’s the same game I’ve played my whole life. Obviously, it will not feel the same as just another game in the minor leagues, you’re in New York and even your brain knows that, so obviously there will be more excitement, more nerves, all the emotions will be just on max. So it’s just acknowledging that you’re on that stage and that you belong there and that you earned it. And then just going out there and playing my game.
Yankees shortstop George Lombard Jr. during a spring training at-bat.
Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Q: Have you had any conversations with Derek Jeter?
A: I spoke to him this past offseason. … We talked about a bunch of things, but I think the biggest thing is just be myself. You know, you get to New York, there’s obviously all the outside noise and a lot of things that can be going on around you, but the main thing is just know who you are, know what you need, keep your circle close and just do your thing.
Q: Describe the big New York stage under the bright lights.
A: It’s something that I’ve dreamed of as a kid, and it’s something that since I can remember, something I wanted to do. I’m definitely very excited to get up there and win games on the biggest stage.
Q: Describe Yankees fans.
A: Passionate, really want to win, will let you know how they feel, but the best in the world.
Q: Whatever comes to mind: Spencer Jones.
A: Monster.
Q: Aaron Judge.
A: Legend.
Q: Cam Schlittler.
A: Nasty.
Q: Carlos Lagrange.
A: Dawg.
Q: Aaron Boone.
A: Leader.
Q: George Lombard Jr.
A: That’s the toughest one! … I’ll go … competitor.
Q: Describe your mentality in the batter’s box.
A: I think the biggest thing for me is just competitive … aggressive. I always take pride in my competitiveness, my ability to compete on the field. You gotta be a dawg in there, be aggressive, and be on attack mode.
Q: Your mentality in the infield.
A: I still have that fire, the competitiveness that nothing can get by me, I gotta get to everything. But you just gotta relax and be an athlete out there in flow state.
Q: Describe what “playing to win” means.
A: First off, doing all the little things right, doing all the little things your team needs you to do in those small little moments, those add up over the game and turn into wins. And then just outcompeting the other team, just wanting it more.
Q: What drives you?
A: I would say my family, doing it for the people that have supported me my whole life, doing it for them — they’ve always pushed me and been there for me when I needed them. And then always wanting to be the best version of myself on a daily basis whether that’s on the field, off the field, and just always chasing excellence.
Yankees shortstop George Lombard Jr. throwing before a spring training game. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Q: Does fear of failure drive you?
A: I wouldn’t say so much fear of failure as much as just me wanting to be the best version of myself. In baseball, when you fail so much you kind of have to accept the fact that you’re not gonna win every single time, and you have to understand that and be OK with it and then still strive to win as much as you can, to succeed as much as you can.
Q: Was there any point that the fear of failure caused you to wrestle with yourself?
A: A hundred percent. Especially growing up in a game where you fail so much, being around the good players, it can be easy to go internal and get in your head when you want to succumb to that little voice in your head that’s always spitting at you worst-case scenarios and things like that. But I think it just takes practice and takes targeted training to work on that. It’s a part of the game that I think the best players in the world are very good at, they’re elite at it, and that’s part of the reason why they’re at that level is acknowledging that part of the game, acknowledging the failure, accepting that and then still going out there and being able to be at your best.
Q: What has it been like being a 2023 first-round draft pick for the New York Yankees?
A: It’s been awesome. From the moment that my name got announced on the TV screen to the New York Yankees, it was a ton of excitement. Obviously, just the fact that I was getting drafted in the first round, then the fact that it was the New York Yankees makes it even more special, an organization like that, a franchise with the history that New York does. It was super exciting, and then ever since I’ve been here it’s been nothing short of that. Everybody’s been great, from the staff to the players and all the ex-players that come back, everybody’s treated me great. It’s been a ton of fun.
Q: Who are some of the ex-players you’ve met?
A: CC (Sabathia) has been around a lot, I’ve gotten to know him pretty well, he’s a great guy. … Andy Pettitte’s around all the time, he’s also another great dude. Didi Gregorius has been around a lot, got to know him pretty well.
Q: Do you feel any pressure being a first-round pick and top Yankees prospect?
A: I wouldn’t say that there’s no pressure, no expectations, obviously I feel like that just comes with it. I always look at it as a blessing just to be in that situation where I get to have expectations because I was taken where I was because I put myself in that situation. So yeah, I acknowledge it and know that that’s exactly where I want to be and then go from there, and I know that if I do my thing, if I get better every day, if I do my work, that things will work themselves out.
Q: Where do you see the level of your baseball IQ?
A: I think it’s high. I think something that’s helped me with that is just me always really enjoying the game, it being a passion for me my whole life. I always loved watching the game, watching people, listening to people talk about the game. I got to be around the game a lot with my family being in baseball. I think just the time I’ve spent and the passion that I’ve had for the game my whole life has helped me kind of build that.
Yankees’ George Lombard Jr., looking up at an infield pop-up during a spring training game. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Q: Give me an example of your leadership.
A: I would say I’m not the type of person that’s super outspoken, in-your-face type of leader. I’m more of the lead by example, do-the-little-things-how-they’re-supposed-to-be kind of leader. I feel like when there’s conversations that need to be had, I can do that in private, I can do that with certain people, and the same goes for everybody else in the clubhouse.
Q: An example of your mental toughness.
A: Last year, I kind of got tested a little bit when I got called up to Double-A for the first time and had to face some struggles, especially in my first month up there and things weren’t going my way (laugh), to say the least. I had to work through that and make some adjustments, kind of go through that grind for a month or so and deal with all those little things. While that was going on, still play every day, still being a leader on the team, still going out there and playing good defense … fighting our way through a struggle.
Q: What are you working on in the batter’s box now?
A: Made a couple of little tweaks mechanically with my swing, with my hands that have put me in a good spot now. I feel like the swing itself is in a good spot, so it’s just about going out there, refining the approach and having competitive at bats, making sure I know my game plan every single at bat, and going out there and executing that, so just having as many competitive at bats as I can.
Q: What are you working on at shortstop?
A: To me, taking ground balls, working on my defense never even feels like work, it’s just fun. There’s times where we have to dial in, focus on some specific things that I want to work on, but a lot of times just going out there and being an athlete and making plays and making sure I’m just as consistent with that as possible, and then refining all my skills.
Q: How comfortable are you at second base or at third base?
A: I consider myself a baseball player, not just a shortstop. I feel like I can go out there and wherever my team would need me to play, I’m confident in myself that I can go out there and make plays.
Q: How did soccer help you playing in the infield?
A: A ton, a ton. Overall athleticism, footwork, speed, agility, all the things that come with being on a soccer field, I think they all translate very well to being an athlete and moving fluidly on a baseball field.
Q: Who were your favorite athletes growing up?
A: In soccer my favorite players were Virgil van Dijk, (Lionel) Messi, obviously. And then, in baseball, Corey Seager, Francisco Lindor, Mookie Betts, (Carlos) Correa, all the really good shortstops in the big leagues that are still playing now.
Q: What is your best baseball moment?
A: My team getting in the states the first time my senior year. We had a good group of close friends, and we made a good run at the end. That was a special moment that I’ll remember for a long time. And then since I’ve been here with the Yankees, I would say probably the one that sticks out the most is my first game, first at-bat, got to sneak one out, hit a homer, floating around the bases in my first big league game being able to hit a home run, have some of the big leaguers, some guys I watch on TV be there in the dugout to celebrate. It was a lot of fun.
Yankees infielder George Lombard Jr (96) hits a two-RBI double during the fifth inning against the Washington Nationals at George M. Steinbrenner Field. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Q: Three dinner guests?
A: Derek Jeter …
Q: What would you ask him?
A: All of his experiences, coming up, playing in New York, playing on the biggest stage, winning championships … it doesn’t get much more legendary than Derek Jeter in New York.
Q: That’s one dinner guest.
A: Dr. Martin Luther King (Jr.). The impact that he had, the influence that he had, his courageousness, everything that he stood for, it’s definitely something that I’d want to learn from.
Q: That’s two dinner guests.
A: I’ll go Jay-Z.
Q: Favorite movie?
A: “Interstellar.”
Q: Favorite actor?
A: Denzel Washington.
Q: Favorite meal?
A: Probably some of my grandmother’s Cuban food.
Q: Tell me about your grandmother, Posey.
A: When COVID hit when my dad had some more time to really dig deep into her story and her life, found a lot of things about her and her mission, what she did. She was coming down from the Northeast, came down to Atlanta, had my dad and his brother and sister, was a big civil rights activist, marched alongside Dr. Martin Luther King and just did so many good things, was one of the most courageous, brave people that I’ve ever … obviously unfortunately never got to meet her, but I wish I could have. Hearing some of the things that she stood up for and that she fought for, it’s inspiring.
Yankees shortstop George Lombard Jr. (96) steals second base past Minnesota Twins shortstop Brooks Lee (22) in the first inning during spring training at Lee Health Sports Complex/Hammond Stadium. Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Q: Your father is part black and white, and your mother is Hispanic. You’re like a walking United Nations.
A: (Laugh) It’s a blessing. Being so diverse in race ethnicity, it’s allowed me to connect with a ton of different people since I was young. There was definitely a period of time where I was learning myself and understanding myself and understanding my background, where I come from and my family story. Now as I’ve gotten older and understood myself, it’s been great to kind of embrace myself, my diversity and my background, and build relationships with people from all walks of life, from different countries, different backgrounds, different culture identity. It’s really cool.
Q: Your father George, the Tigers bench coach, got his psychology degree at the University of Phoenix.
A: One of the reasons he got his degree as well was just to show me and my brother (Jacob) that that can be done. He got drafted out of high school, so he never got to do that. Same with myself. But he made it a promise to his mom and to his family that he was gonna get that done every day, and he wanted us to know that that’s something that we value a lot, and it’s very important to us as a family is being educated.
Q: You might go back one day and get your degree?
A: I made that promise to my parents that I would get it eventually one day.
Q: What are your personal goals for this season?
A: I think what will put me in the best spot for success is making sure I’m prepared every single day, then going out there and focusing on being a competitor and winning games wherever I’m at, wherever I start at. I want to be in a position, whether that happens or not, but to be in an opportunity to help the New York Yankees win a World Series this year.
