Perspectives: The Yankees' Prospect Failures Should Not Be Simply Forgotten

By Paul Semendinger

August 28, 2026

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This isn't about George Lombard, Jr. except, in a way, it is. But it's really about something bigger and more important.

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Remember when everyone was saying that George Lombard, Jr. was ready for the Major Leagues?

Remember how everyone said that GLJ was, almost even before he took the field, a Major League shortstop who would be better, by far (of course!), than Anthony Volpe ever was?

Remember how everyone trusted the Yankees' decision-making, and how, when words of caution were uttered, that those words were discounted?

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I have long been amazed that Yankees fans immediately buy into the hype the organization thrusts upon prospect after prospect as they, at the same time, discard the one they most recently touted.

It is almost comical the way this occurs, time and time again:

• The Yankees say, "Prospect A is the real deal." The fans buy in.

• Once a big leaguer, Player A performs poorly.

• The Yankees then say, "Prospect B is really the real deal." The fans buy in again.

• Player B fails to live up to expectations.

• The Yankees say, "Forget about A and B, Player C is really really the real deal." The fans buy in again, yet again.

• Then Player C fails to deliver

• And the Yankees tout "Player D" and the fans buy in yet again.

• This goes on and on...

Almost to the day he was sent down, Yankees fans were coming up with all sorts of reasons that Anthony Volpe was a quality Major League shortstop.

Writers and others noticed some flaws in his game and the way the Yankees handled him and the response was, "Why do so many hate on Volpe?"

But then, the moment Volpe was sent down (and while the ink wasn't even dry on Brian Cashman's signature on the paperwork sending him to Triple-A) those same fans were explaining how they knew of Volpe's weaknesses and never really believed in him, but that they knew, they absolutely knew, that George Lombard, Jr. was going to be something special.

George Lombard, Jr. was the real deal. This time, this time, not the others, this time, the Yankees were doing it right and this player, not the others so many fell in love with, was the real deal.

When it was pointed out that the kid was always overmatched when he was called up to a new level, that fact was scoffed at.

When it was pointed out that GLJ didn't really hit in the minor leagues, it was argued that this year, in between injuries, over a period of less than 30 games, or so, he did hit in Triple-A. (In other words, a super small sample was used to try to prove that the kid was ready for prime time.)

And then after just a few days as a Major Leaguer, fans were already wondering if the Yankees should offer Lombard a long-term career type of contract.

And here we are.

Just 20 games into his Major League career, George Lombard Jr. is setting records - of the most dubious kind.

He just made an error in his sixth consecutive game.

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It seems the last Yankee shortstop to commit errors in six consecutive games was either Chick Fewster in 1921 or Roger Peckinpaugh in 1915. (Different sources argue for different players on this.)

Either way, it was a long time ago.

And now George Lombard, Jr. joins a club that no shortstop wishes to join.

The MLB record of seven consecutive games with an error could be matched tonight.

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Over those six games, by the way, George Lombard, Jr. is batting .208.

Is it possible that the pressure being put on him to hit might be impacting his fielding?

Or is his fielding affecting his hitting?

Or is George Lombard, Jr. just not yet ready for the big time and all that entails.

Remember, the kid is only 21-years-old.

You might wish to my article on the pressures George Lombard, Jr. is facing.

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It just might be true that George Lombard, Jr. was rushed to the big leagues because the team was poorly constructed and the general manager needed to do...something after a not-so-impressive trade deadline (yet again)

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In only his 8h Major League game, George Lombard, a career .248 hitter in the minor leagues, was put into the 5th spot in the batting order of the New York Yankees.

He hasn't hit well since that move. His batting average has dropped from .320 on August 12 to .264. He hasn't homered since the batting order "promotion."

And the error streak also began.

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None of this is George Lombard, Jr. hate.

No one hates GLJ.

Just as no one hated Anthony Volpe.

The critics, or maybe better said, the truth tellers, are only simply pointing out facts and making logical and reasonable conclusions.

And the fact is, the Yankees have been doing a terrible job, a completely unacceptable job, with their supposed prized prospects.

George Lombard, Jr. has exceptional talent. He just might be a star, but no one, no one, no one at all, can argue, in any legitimate way, that what he is going through, at 21-years-old, is good for his progress, his long-term success, or the Yankees themselves right now.

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This isn't all on Aaron Boone, of course, but...

Gary Sanchez was supposedly the next great Yankee.

I know, I know, "Paul, that was a long time ago..."

In reality, it wasn't. If the Yankees had signed Sanchez to a 10-year deal after his big 2017 season, he would still be the Yankees' starting catcher, with one year yet to go on his contract.

We all know the story - The Yankees had a manager at the time who was pushing Sanchez to get the most of his ability. As that story goes, the Yankees felt that manager pushed too hard. We were told that a softer approach was needed with the young star...

Exit Joe Girardi. Enter Aaron Boone.

Since then, Gary Sanchez's career has been a huge disappointment.

People think Sanchez is now old. They will say, "That was ages ago."

In truth Sanchez is only 33-years-old.

Sanchez was going to be the next Jorge Posada. At 33, Jorge Posada batted .272 with 21 homers. He had a 3.5 WAR season.

He then played seven more years.

Think about that for just a minute.

The Gary Sanchez were were promised in 2018 was one that should still be in his prime right now.

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Since 2018, Aaron Boone has had one place of employment.

Gary Sanchez has played for the Yankees, the Twins, the Mets, the Padres, the Brewers, the Orioles, and the Brewers again - not to mention all the minor league stops along that long and winding, less than spectacular road.

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Now in his third full season, the latest great-to-be Yankees catcher, Austin Wells, is batting .180.

But this is what no one is saying, because everyone gets caught up in the hype, is that in a large sense, we shouldn't even have been discussing Austin Wells these last few years because we should have still be in the Gary Sanchez Era.

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Something is wrong in the way the Yankees are pushing their supposed future stars.

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Along those same lines, we actually shouldn't be talking of Anthony Volpe either. Or George Lombard, Jr.

This was still supposed to be the Gleyber Torres Era. Oh how quickly we forget!

Gleyber Torres should be in the midst of his prime - right now. He is still only 29 years-old.

There never should have been a Volpe Era. There shouldn't be a GLJ Era to come. This should still be Gleyber's time.

Gleyber Torres was the Yankees #1 Prospect in 2018.

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The Yankees Top Prospect in 2019 was Estevan Florial.

In 2020 and 2021 it was Jasson Dominguez

In 2022 the Top Two Prospects were Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza.

How quickly we forget and move on.

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"Prospect A is the real deal," the Yankees tell us.

"No, it's Prospect B..."

"Trust us, it's really Prospect C...."

This goes on and on and on.

The people making the decisions that seem to result in these players failing time and again seem to get lifetime contracts. We're told how great of a job they're doing.

Meanwhile the kids who fail... well, who cares about them? LOOK! It's a brand new prospect!!!

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As George Lombard struggles, don't be surprised when the Yankees start touting their Number Two Prospect this year...

He happens to be a shortstop (yet another) named Dax Kilby.

"Now Kilby is really the Real Deal. Trust us this time. This time we're right."

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