Fun fact: George Lombard Sr., bench coach for the Detroit Tigers, George Lombard Jr., an infielder for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, and Jacob Lombard, a 2026 MLB Draft prospect, are all related. Clearly, there is something in the Lombard DNA to have produced three professional or prospect MLB players.
Starting with the blueprint, George Lombard Sr. was drafted in the second round of the 1994 MLB draft by the Atlanta Braves. Across his 15-year professional career, six of those were in the MLB. Across his career, he appeared with the Atlanta Braves, Detroit Tigers, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and Washington Nationals. His career ended in 2009, and he eventually moved into coaching. He coached the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2016 to 2020 and has been the bench coach for the Detroit Tigers since 2021. He also spent time with Team USA this March at the 2026 World Baseball Classic, serving a crucial coaching role.
At 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, George Lombard Jr. is also a force to be reckoned with. With his exceptional performance, he has been moved up from the Double-A Somerset Patriots to Triple-A and is currently playing for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. His father, who had a similar progression in his career, started off in the minors and made his MLB debut at the age of 22. If Lombard Jr. keeps on his same pace, he could end up in the Bronx before his 21st birthday.
Last season, he hit a bit of a rough patch, but after coming back to Somerset, his performance has been exceptional. This season alone, across both teams, he has a total of 24 runs, four home runs, six stolen bases, and a batting average of .324 (before joining RailRiders). As of this month, Lombard Jr. is currently the No. 1 prospect for the New York Yankees. Although he has been playing shortstop for the majority of his career, recently, the Yankees have advised him to get more playing time at second and third base. With Anthony Volpe currently holding the starting shortstop position, the Yankees may be finding a way to fit Lombard Jr. into their own lineup soon.
The youngest of the trio, Jacob Lombard, brother of George Lombard Jr. and son of George Lombard Sr. is also making his way up into professional light. Lombard is a shortstop and a talented righty batter born in 2007, coming from Gulliver Prep in Florida. As the 2026 MLB Draft approaches, Jacob is currently one of the top prospects, ranked No. 7 heading into the draft. It is predicted that with his extreme athleticism and high baseball IQ, he could be a hidden gem for the teams considering him. With a whole legacy above him, he has a lot to live up to, but enough determination to do it.
With a whole generation of professional and prospect players, the Lombard legacy is making its mark in the MLB. Despite Lombard Sr.’s journey on the field ending, the sons are just beginning. George and Jacob are making sure Lombard is a name fans will be hearing for many more years.
Make sure to look out for George Lombard Jr.’s season with the RailRiders and the 2026 MLB draft for Jacob Lombard. There’s a lot more to come from this family.
