New York Yankees George Lombard Jr.’s soccer background helped create foundation for rise to Yankees By Mark W. Sanchez Published Aug. 6, 2026, 7:15 a.m. ET New York Yankees George Lombard Jr. reacts on the dugout fence at the end of the 9th inning on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST Asked about George Lombard Jr. on Wednesday, Cody Bellinger offered what is a high compliment in the sport.
“Just a great kid,” Bellinger said. “Just a baseball player.”
The praise was understood but not wholly correct. Lombard was a soccer player, too.
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The new Yankees shortstop delayed specializing in one sport, playing both baseball and soccer all through high school. In his senior year — months before he became the Yankees’ first-round pick — the defender (and his brother, Jacob) helped lead Gulliver Prep to a Florida state championship.
