Former Tulane pitcher Michael Lombardi was named to the Spring Breakout roster for the Kansas City Royals and will participate in the MLB Spring Breakout 2026 games, according to a March 16 announcement from Tulane Athletics.
The selection highlights Lombardi’s progression from college baseball standout to professional prospect. The MLB Spring Breakout event, now in its third year, is scheduled for March 19-22 and showcases top prospects from across Major League Baseball. The event features 16 games over four days, providing a platform for emerging talent.
Lombardi and the Royals are set to face the Texas Rangers on March 20 at Surprise Stadium in Arizona as part of the Cactus League. The game will be broadcast live on several platforms including Rangers Sports Net, Amazon MLB FAST Channel, MLB.com, MLB.TV, and the MLB app.
Lombardi was selected by the Royals with the 61st overall pick in the second round of the 2025 Major League Baseball Draft. During his final season at Tulane, he served as both closer and position player, leading his team and conference with 11 saves while posting a 4-1 record and a 2.14 ERA. He also recorded a team-high 73 strikeouts over 42 innings pitched. His performance included a seven-inning outing with 11 strikeouts during the American Baseball Championship’s first round against Florida Atlantic. Lombardi earned multiple honors throughout his collegiate career, including being named Pitcher of the Week on April 7, 2025.
As a hitter in 2025, Lombardi posted a .273 batting average with four home runs and contributed both offensively and defensively across multiple positions. Over three years at Tulane, he accumulated an overall pitching record of 8-6 with a career ERA of 3.82 and totaled 16 saves—tying him for seventh-most in school history.
Lombardi is noted as Tulane’s highest draft choice since Hudson Haskin was picked by Baltimore in the second round of the 2020 draft and is also recognized as one of only seven players from Tulane ever selected by Kansas City.
