There are just 10 days until the first pick of the 2023 MLB Draft is made. With the collegeiate season now over and the draft approaching quickly, new mock drafts are continuing to come out as certain scenarios begin to take form with draft day on the horizon.
Keith Law of The Athletic released his third mock draft for the year on Thursday. He has the New York Mets selecting shortstop George Lombard, Jr. out of Gulliver Prep High School in Miami, Florida with their No. 32 overall pick in this year’s draft. He is ranked as the No. 31 prospect in this year’s draft according to MLB.com. However, some say there’s a good chance he could go in round one and not be available when the Mets select.
Lombard Jr. is 6’3” and weighs 190lbs. He is the son of former Atlanta Braves Braves’ prospect George Lombard Sr. Lombard Sr., who was Atlanta’s second round pick in 1955 and now serves as the bench coach for the Detroit Tigers.
Lombard Jr., a Vanderbilt commit, is known for his athleticism, as being an infielder with a straightforward swing, and a quiet approach at the plate. Scouts predict the right-handed hitter’s power to be around 65-70, but say he needs to work on velocity and not getting “locked into a single bar path.” He has scouting grades of:
- Hitting: 50
- Power: 55
- Run: 50
- Field: 50
- Overall 50
Tyler Kotila, a scout for Perfect Game Florida calls Lombard Jr. an “insane hit-tool” with quick hands, loose wrists, and an athlete who has the ability to hit the ball hard when he puts the barrel on the ball.
Lombard Jr. is also known for his height, giving him a long stride and making him an efficient runner to have on your team.
While most scouts are also saying that Lombard Jr. will be good at shortstop, some are also saying that he could potentially shift over to third base at the minor league and/or major league levels. He moves well, athletic on his ability to field groundballs, and does his job well in the field.
As mentioned above, with his athleticism and MLB.com ranking, many say he could go in round one. But should he be left in round two, Lombard Jr. could be who the New York Mets select at No. 32 in just 10 days.
