Gulliver’s Lombard, True North’s Foss are Dade Baseball 4A-1A Players of the Year
Jacob Lombard had high hopes for his senior season at Gulliver Prep.
And the highly-rated Major League Baseball prospect delivered, nearly leading the Raiders to the Class 3A state final four in the process.
William Foss trusted the team around him and just attacked on the mound.
As the ace of the True North Classical Academy baseball team’s pitching staff, Foss led the way for the Titans, who made their first ever trip to the state final four in Class 2A.
And so, Lombard is the Miami Herald’s Miami-Dade Baseball Player of the Year in Classes 4A-1A. Foss is the Dade 4A-1A Pitcher of the Year.
Lombard, a shortstop, is projected as the No. 4 overall draft-eligible prospect and No. 2 high schooler by MLB Pipeline.
During a bounce back season this year, Lombard hit .477 with 10 home runs and 25 RBI and showed off his speed scoring 52 runs overall. His efforts led Gulliver to the Class 3A regional finals before losing to defending state champion Miami Springs in three games.
Lombard, who was also a soccer standout at Gulliver earlier in his high school career, is following in the footsteps of his older brother, George Jr., now a prospect in the New York Yankees’ organization.
George Lombard Jr. was a first round pick at No. 26 in 2023. Jacob is projected to go as high as top 5 in next month’s draft.
Foss emerged as a force this season for True North as it advanced to the Class 2A state championship game for the first time.
At the top of a deep rotation, Foss went 6-1 with 59 strikeouts in 52 ⅓ innings while compiling a 2.54 ERA. But his biggest moments came in the playoffs when he led True North to clutch wins over Palmer Trinity, Chaminade and Tampa Berkeley Prep.
Foss is headed to pitch at Division-II Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, Tenn.
“It was just trusting in my teammates and my defense more,” Foss said. “I just attacked, attacked, attacked. The first pitch is the most important in baseball and I went after them.
“In college, I just have to trust the program and you have to buy in and give it all you’ve got.”
