The New York Yankees have World Series aspirations in 2026, but they are also looking toward the future. With the new season on the horizon, The Athletic, ESPN, and MLB.com have each released their list of top prospects. George Lombard Jr is the lone Yankees prospect on all three lists, but four appear in total. Who appears at the top of the lists? And what should Yankees fans take away from these lists?
The Yankees' top prospect is George Lombard Jr.
Lombard Jr is a 20-year-old shortstop who split time between high-A and AA in 2025. He is ranked 20th by ESPN, 24th by The Athletic, and 32nd by MLB.com. But no matter where you look, Lombard is the consensus top prospect in the Yankees system. Drafted 23rd overall in 2023 out of high school, he has been a riser through the system ever since.
But Yankees fans have heard this story before. Anthony Volpe was a late first-round pick out of high school who rose into the top ten of prospect rankings. But the offense has not been there at the professional level. While Volpe is still just 24 years old, patience is wearing thin for the New Jersey product.
Lombard can prove that he is a different level of prospect this year during spring training. Volpe is injured, and Jose Caballero is playing in the World Baseball Classic. Lombard could get some run at shortstop, which will be intriguing to watch against MLB-caliber pitching.
A power righty getting Dellin Betances comparisons
Carlos Lagrange is a 6'7″ right-handed power pitcher who is highly regarded among prospect rankers. He is number 79 on MLB.com and number 88 on The Athletic, second among Yankees in both publications. However, according to ESPN, he is not among baseball's top 100 prospects.
With a massive frame, MLB.com says the velocity is the tool to look for. “Lagrange stands out most with a fastball that parks at 97-99 mph and peaks at 103 with carry and armside run. But he's also capable of missing bats with three secondary pitches that can be devastating at times.”
Carlos Lagrange had a great past season with the New York Yankees organization. He was named EAS Pitcher of the Month in July and pitched across two levels. The top prospect earned a promotion to Double-A in June ending the year pitching for Somerset where he pitched in 16 games.… pic.twitter.com/84eW8qZcCg
— Milb Central (@milb_central) February 6, 2026
A big right-hander with high velocity reminds Yankees fans of reliever Dellin Betances. The hope, however, is that Lagrange's offspeed stuff can make him a starter. He has earned a non-roster invite to spring training, so he has the opportunity to shine in Tampa.
Another hard-throwing righty in the pipeline
The Yankees have a second big, hard-throwing right-hander ranked by the major publications. Elmer Rodriguez (formerly known as Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz) is ranked 82nd by MLB.com and 88th by The Athletic. Drafted by the Red Sox at 17 years old, he has risen in the ranks since Boston traded him to New York for catcher Carlos Narvaez.
Rodriguez will turn 23 in August, so there is still time for him to rise to the MLB level. But he will face a stiff test when he pitches for Puerto Rico in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. They are in a pool with Canada, Panama, Colombia, and Cuba, and are expected to emerge from that pool. Yankees fans should keep a close eye on Rodriguez if he makes an appearance for Puerto Rico in March.
MLB.com is high on Yankees' most recent draft pick
The final prospect to crack a top 100 list is shortstop Dax Kilby, who was taken 39th overall in 2025. He is 94th in the MLB.com rankings, but does not appear on either of the other lists. Kilby hit .353 in 18 games for low-A Tampa after the draft last season and could be a riser this season.
Kilby was not invited to Yankees spring training, which is not rare for a 19-year-old. True prospect watchers will monitor his growth in the lower levels of the minor leagues this year. But the attention on shortstop will be on Lombard as a potential successor to Volpe in the coming years.
