Yankees get very encouraging news on top prospect George Lombard Jr. and his new position

Yankees get very encouraging news on top prospect George Lombard Jr. and his new position originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The New York Yankees are expected to get Anthony Volpe back in the near future, something that should help this ball club right now. While many Yankees fans like to say that Volpe isn't the guy who should play shortstop for them, and I'm not here to debate that, it's only fair to suggest that he's better than what New York currently has. Jose Caballero did not do enough with the opportunity he was given, so Volpe should be the guy.

Regarding the future of the position, there's reason to believe that someone like George Lombard Jr. could be the guy who wins the job. However, Lombard is starting to transition to third base, and according to the latest, he's handled the position pretty well in his first start there at Double-A.

“George Lombard Jr. garnered praise at Spring Training for his Major League-level defense at shortstop. He tested those skills at a new spot on Tuesday.

"With Anthony Volpe manning shortstop as he rehabs a left-shoulder injury, MLB’s No. 27 prospect started at third base for the first time as a pro in Double-A Somerset’s 9-6 victory over Reading at TD Bank Ballpark. Lombard Jr. recorded two putouts, three assists and made one error across five innings at the hot corner. He moved back to shortstop when Volpe exited the game in the sixth,” Brendan Samson of MLB.com wrote.

It's also cool to hear that Lombard and Volpe were able to share the left side of the infield together, as the hope is that they'll eventually be the two guys New York leans on.

Regardless, this will be somewhat of a learning curve for Lombard, though it sounds like the early signs are encouraging.