Tulane's Michael Lombardi's Journey to Become Second-Round MLB Draft Pick
After a remarkable junior season, Tulane's Michael Lombardi was taken by the Kansas City Royals with the 61st pick of the second round of the MLB draft. With the year Lombardi had as a pitcher, the MLB attention was by no means a surprise.
In his junior season, Lombardi dealt on the mound for the Wave. He had a 2.14 ERA with 11 saves and a 4-1 record in 42.0 innings. He held opponents to a .143 batting average and struck out 73 batters.
While his 11 saves proved him an invaluable closer, Lombardi was still able to find success as a starter. He started six games on the season, but the most notable was in the first game of the AAC tournament against FAU, a game in which he threw seven innings of two-hit baseball and struck out 11 batters.
More News: Tulane Will Be Relying On Talented Big Man To Impact Frontcourt This Season
Yet Lombardi was not always this dominant on the mound.
He spent two years developing into the pitching star that he eventually became. As a freshman, Lombardi had a 6.14 ERA in which he struck out 28 and walked 25 in 29 and one-third innings. But as a sophomore, he found the success that strengthened in his junior season, recording a 3.89 ERA and striking out 53 batters in comparison to allowing 36 walks in 41.2 innings.
More News: What Are the Toughest Tests for Tulane Football This Season?
While Lombardi also was a solid hitter for the Wave, hitting .273 with four home runs last season, it was his time and success on the mound that grabbed the attention of MLB scouts.
Throughout his three seasons with Tulane, he was growing as a pitcher until he became an elite prospect for the next level. While navigating the path to the big leagues is a difficult one, Lombardi has continued to trend in the right direction.
If he can continue to develop as a player, he will unlock a whole new realm of possibilities for his future.
More News: Royals Select Tulane Star Michael Lombardi With No. 61 Pick in 2025 MLB Draft
For more Tulane news, head over to Tulane Green Wave On SI.
Austin Levin is a rising Junior and English Major at Tulane University. Austin was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. He has experience writing for Tulane's baseball twitter and articles for basketball and golf for his high school's Sports Information Department. He won the Voice of the Saints Award in high school for his work in their Sports Information Department, was awarded the Hampden-Sydney Book Award for his outstanding effort in high school, and has made the Dean's List twice. Austin is a Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Falcons fan. His favorite athletes are Julio Jones, Donovan Mitchell, and Rory Mcilroy.