There have been many great Yankees over the last 100-plus years. One of the most recent stars, Aaron Judge, just signed a long-term deal and became the 16th Yankee captain. Is the next future of the Yankees pushing for his time in pinstripes and is he ready? The answer is yes… It’s Volpe time in the Bronx.
The season is coming, but there’s still time to jump in a Fantrax Classic Draft contest? Get a head start on the season with a Best Ball league or maybe a Draft and Hold. Or put some green on the line with a new season-long league to try and conquer. There’s no better time than now to get your baseball on!
Anthony Volpe to Start at Shortstop for the Yankees
How’s His Spring?
Anthony Volpe has put together a strong spring so far, slashing .314, with 3 home runs, 5 RBIs, 5 stolen bases, and a 1.064 OPS in 51 AB for the Brock Bombers. At the start of spring, Volpe stood on the outside looking in but it seems that Volpe is not content going back to Triple-A Scranton to start the year and made himself the favorite for the shortstop job. Recently against the Twins in spring training Volpe hit a rocket that soared out of the park at a breakneck pace and in the process fired up Twitter to push for this kid from Watchung New Jersey to create his own place in Yankee lore.
🚀Can we just name Volpe the starting SS for the New York Yankees yet? LETS GO! #RepBX #BaseBall @Yankees @Fantrax @TWS_Irish @WeeklyStreamer @Volpe_Anthony https://t.co/4eKFQMYqzh
— Richard Haake (@Mustbethehawk) March 24, 2023
What Has He Done?
Last season Volpe slashed .249/.342/.460 with 21 HR and 50 stolen bases over 132 games at AA and AAA. The counting stats are not the issue for Volpe but more so continuing to make solid contact. The strikeout rate took a jump in AAA to 30.3% in 22 games played though it should come down to the 17.7% we saw at AA in 110 games played. After seeing Volpe in 2021 at A+ Greensboro, I was impressed with the plate approach and the quick hands through the zone. Volpe could hit the ball to all fields and did so with ease and worked counts to get a pitch he likes or take the walk. He also showed off the loft and sheer power in his swing that could play up in Yankee stadium.
🚀🔥Yankees SS Anthony Volpe with a 2 run HOME RUN! 🌙The 60th ranked prospect on the Weekly Streamer rankings is slashing .300/.432/.608 with 22 hr and 28sb on the year. @WeeklyStreamer @HVRenegades @Yankees @MiLB @Volpe_Anthony @snyyankees @TWS_Irish @TWSBiscuit pic.twitter.com/oX0o3nRt3h
— Richard Haake (@Mustbethehawk) September 2, 2021
All this is to say Volpe has what it takes to be a major league caliber shortstop. He has the power to be a 25-plus home run bat. He has the plus speed that could eclipse 30 bags per season in the early years. But understand that Volpe could struggle a bit as he gets his roots planted in the dirt where another great Yankee shortstop once stood. With every stop, Volpe has ascended to he has had a “learning period” that took some time to work through but there is little doubt in my mind that he will pick up the torch and be the next keystone of the Yankee offense for years to come.