Yankees' George Lombard Jr. Shares the Advice He Received From Derek Jeter

From one New York shortstop to another

Sep 9, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) and shortstop George Lombard Jr. (96) celebrate after defeating the Colorado Rockies at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Yankees' No. 1 prospect, shortstop George Lombard Jr., recently revealed that he had the chance to get some tips from Derek Jeter earlier this year.

Lombard, MLB Pipeline's No. 13 overall prospect for 2026, met up with Jeter in January, according to The Athletic's Brendan Kuty, months before the 21-year-old even made his Triple-A debut, let alone his first game in the Bronx. The young shortstop reportedly asked the Hall of Famer about playing for the Yankees and in the majors, among other topics. But one suggestion from the 14-time All-Star really stuck with the top prospect: "be a stand-up dude."

"Whether that's in the clubhouse or with the media or the fans, whatever it is. Be authentic and be a good person," Lombard said Jeter told him, according to Kuty. "It goes a long way, doing those little things. Whether that's always being upfront and honest or remembering people's names. Just being an overall good human being. It keeps you grounded and keeps you humble and it allows you to keep doing the stuff on the field and producing on the field and helping out the team wherever you can, while keeping all the unnecessary distractions away."

How has George Lombard Jr.'s first stint in the majors gone so far?

Sep 11, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees shortstop George Lombard Jr. (96) throws past New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) to complete a game-ending double play at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Many New York fans will probably be thrilled to hear that Lombard has already been trying to learn from a Yankees legend like Jeter. So far, though, it hasn't been all smooth sailing for the 21-year-old in the majors.

In his first 32 MLB games, Lombard is hitting .218 (24-for-110) with three home runs and 11 RBIs. The highly touted defender also went through an unexpected streak of six straight games with an error in August. While his defense has looked better lately, the 6-foot-2 shortstop has faced some adversity in his first stint in the big leagues.

The Yankees recently recalled Anthony Volpe to play second base for the first time in the majors after Jazz Chisholm Jr. landed on the injured list. So, New York appears to be sticking with Lombard at shortstop for now. And with the Yankees clinching a playoff spot on Monday, the top prospect should get his first taste of October baseball in the Bronx soon.