Michael Lombardi Stats & Scouting Report

Full name Michael Lombardi
Born 09/20/2003 in Norwalk, CT
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 185 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Tulane
Drafted in the 2nd round (61st overall) by the Kansas City Royals in 2025 (signed for $1,297,500).

View Draft Report

School: Tulane Drafted/Committed: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.8

BA Grade: 45/High

Lombardi was a do-it-all two-way player for three seasons at Tulane. He made plenty of contact as a hitter, where he slashed .273/.392/.453 and played all four infield spots plus center field as a junior, but his pro prospects are on the mound, where he struck out 73 batters over 42 innings in 2025. Lombardi added more than three ticks to his fastball in 2025 and now sits around 94 mph and has touched 97. It has excellent carry and is at its best when located in the upper half of the strike zone. He pairs the fastball with an upper-70s curveball with great depth and 12-to-6 shape, and he uses it to get whiffs both in and out of the zone against both righties and lefties. Lombardi seldomly deployed his 80-85 mph changeup and was a below-average strike-thrower in college, especially with his secondaries. Lombardi has some obvious boxes to check—namely showing more consistent command and better establishing a third pitch to turn over lineups—but his loud two-pitch combo, athleticism and lack of mileage could appeal to teams within the first five rounds.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 60 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 40.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade/Risk: 50/High

Adjusted Grade: 35

Track Record: Lombardi was a two-way player at Tulane, but his draft outlook was much better on the mound, where he struck out 73 batters over 42 innings in his final college season. The Royals selected him in the second round in 2025 and signed him for $1,297,500. Lombardi stayed at the Royals’ Arizona complex after signing and pitched in fall instructional league games.

Scouting Report: A plus athlete with good raw stuff, Lombardi added more than three ticks to his fastball in his junior spring. The pitch sat 92-95 mph and touched 97 with good swing-and-miss shape. Lombardi’s best secondary is a 77-81 mph curveball that has plus depth and gives him another plus offering. Lombardi’s cutterish 87-89 mph slider still needs some development, as does his fringy 83-85 mph changeup. He was a below-average strike-thrower in college and particularly struggled to land his secondaries. Lombardi’s delivery requires a moderate amount of effort, although he gets down the mound well with a shallow, short arm path and an over-the-top release to finish with extreme release height and approach to the plate. The Royals were impressed with his makeup.

The Future: Given his two-way status and relatively short track record of starting, Lombardi needs more polish than the average college arm, but he has a midrotation ceiling if he can throw more consistent strikes and find a better third offering. He’ll likely begin 2026 with Low-A Columbia with a chance to get to High-A Quad Cities quickly.

Scouting Grades Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 60 | Slider: 40 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45

Draft Prospects

School: Tulane Drafted/Committed: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.8

BA Grade: 45/High

Lombardi was a do-it-all two-way player for three seasons at Tulane. He made plenty of contact as a hitter, where he slashed .273/.392/.453 and played all four infield spots plus center field as a junior, but his pro prospects are on the mound, where he struck out 73 batters over 42 innings in 2025. Lombardi added more than three ticks to his fastball in 2025 and now sits around 94 mph and has touched 97. It has excellent carry and is at its best when located in the upper half of the strike zone. He pairs the fastball with an upper-70s curveball with great depth and 12-to-6 shape, and he uses it to get whiffs both in and out of the zone against both righties and lefties. Lombardi seldomly deployed his 80-85 mph changeup and was a below-average strike-thrower in college, especially with his secondaries. Lombardi has some obvious boxes to check—namely showing more consistent command and better establishing a third pitch to turn over lineups—but his loud two-pitch combo, athleticism and lack of mileage could appeal to teams within the first five rounds.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 60 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 40.