The Somerset Patriots were on YES Network as the New York Yankees had the day off following their series win in Seattle. Following a rainout yesterday, Somerset would play two on this Thursday afternoon, and in the first game of this twin bill they had Cam Schlittler (#7 NYY Prospect on ESM) making the start, Rafael Flores (#8 NYY Prospect on ESM) behind the dish catching him, and our number one ranked prospect in the Yankees’ organization George Lombard Jr. leading off and playing shortstop.
In a game that served as the home debut for George Lombard Jr. with the Somerset Patriots and also featured a rehab appearance from Scott Effross, the Patriots’ 4-2 loss had both positives and negatives for the key players on the roster.
FULL PRE-SEASON TOP 30: Ranking the Yankees’ top 30 prospects entering the 2025 season
Overview of Notable Yankees’ Prospects And Participants In Somerset’s 4-2 Loss
George Lombard Jr. (No. 1 NYY Prospect on Empire Sports Media)
The Yankees’ top prospect made his home debut for the Somerset Patriots, as he picked up a single and two walks in his 1-2 performance. His single was a 103 MPH line drive to right field in the first inning, and he would hit another ball later in the game at 105 MPH that was directly at the centerfielder for a lineout. His two walks brought his total in Double-A up to six in just seven games, as he’s displayed incredible patience on pitches out of the zone.
I was very impressed with his poise in a game where he was still adjusting to a new level of competition in the Eastern League, facing two Portland pitchers who were 24 years old. His overall numbers with Somerset are still not great through seven games, but the underlying data indicates that he’s looked a lot better than the box score suggests. In the games I’ve seen of George Lombard Jr. this season, you’re seeing a 19-year-old with advanced control of the plate and an explosive swing that can do damage on contact.
Lombard is a tooled-up shortstop who can run, defend, and mash, leading me to believe he is an impactful everyday starter for a playoff contending team that has the ability to become a superstar.
Cam Schlittler (No. 7 NYY Prospect on Empire Sports Media)
Cam Schlittler pitched 4.2 innings, allowed four runs, walked three hitters, but struck out eight batters and racked up 19 whiffs on the afternoon. The line wasn’t pretty, but my impression of his outing was more positive than the ERA from this outing would indicate for most. The fastball looked really good at the top of the zone, which is extremely encouraging considering how poor of a pitch it was when he was initially drafted. It topped out at 97 MPH and sat around 94 MPH, which is consistent with his other outings this season.
The curveball, slider, and cutter are all nasty secondary pitches, and he didn’t allow a lot of loud contact despite the four runs that scored. Somerset has struggled defensively this season, and that isn’t great considering how many groundballs Cam Schlittler induces, as they’re dead last in double plays turned (11) and 25th in Defensive Runs Prevented (-2.0) this season. What you can fault Schlittler for is his command, which wavered in the fourth inning and created unnecessary traffic. He had two different 0-2 counts result in walks, and that needs to improve if he wants to become a big-leaguer.
A pitcher with above-average pitch quality who can pick up whiffs and avoid damage contact, I project him to be a quality backend starter for a competitive team who has the upside to be a middle-of-the-rotation starter.
Rafael Flores (No. 8 NYY Prospect on Empire Sports Media)
Reaching base twice today with a single and walk, Rafael Flores had a potential double robbed from him as he hit a 106.8 MPH groundball that third baseman Ahbraham Liendo made a remarkable play on to end the game. He’s got tons of power, calls a strong game, and makes good swing decisions at the plate, but there are some key skills that aren’t good-enough to make him a big leaguer just yet. The contact rates have taken a hit from last season and I think he needs some more work behind the plate to be an above-average defender at catcher.
His raw power is very real however; he has the ability to hit the ball as hard as someone like Spencer Jones and the results in the Minor Leagues are there as well. Flores could hit 20+ home runs in the big leagues, but the questions about his contact rates and future defensive home leave me questioning the MLB fit. There’s some Ben Rice here, with some more juice in the bat and a lot less contact. Can those skills come together to form a productive right-handed hitter with power? Absolutely. Will it? Only time will tell.
Scott Effross (Rehab Appearance)
The oft-injured right-hander made his second appearance for the Somerset Patriots, allowing a walk and nothing more in his scoreless inning of work. His fastball sat between 89-90 MPH which is roughly where he was at last season, and the breaking ball was at 79-81 MPH with good two-plane movement. There’s not much to say here because Effross’ production will rely on his health, which has betrayed him since being traded to the Yankees during the 2022 trade deadline.