George Lombard Jr. explains choice of jersey number for Yankees debut

George Lombard Jr. made his Major League debut with the New York Yankees, wearing No. 96. The 21-year-old shortstop stated he chose the number simply because it was in his locker when he arrived. On his first at-bat, Lombard grounded out but later hit a home run in the fifth inning against the Cardinals, bringing the score to 2-0. Lombard's promotion comes as the Yankees demonstrated confidence in the prospect, optioning veteran Anthony Volpe to Triple-A. The debut is particularly significant as it coincided with the professional debut of his brother, Jacob Lombard, for the Marlins.

• 2:36 AMYahoo Sports — Yankees’ George Lombard Jr. reveals simplest reason behind jersey number