Yankees Offseason Moves and Volpe’s Future
Brian Cashman and his team have time on their side to make surprising moves, both big and small. However, the most significant transactions so far involve the returns of Trent Grisham and Ryan Yarbrough. It seems the Yankees are looking for improvements mainly from within, especially since they’re attempting to sign Cody Bellinger while mostly keeping the lineup that fell short in the previous ALDS.
This brings us to Anthony Volpe and the shortstop position. The franchise has believed for years that there’s more to Volpe, a first-round pick in 2019 and a highly regarded prospect, than what his unimpressive stats might indicate.
The team has consistently voiced confidence in Volpe, even if he hasn’t reached the potential they hoped for.
That trust is evident publicly. Manager Aaron Boone expects Volpe to become “a good player for us,” and Cashman has stated, “Do I believe in Anthony Volpe? Yes.”
However, during the recent winter meetings, the general manager hinted at the possibility of a shortstop competition, especially since Volpe recently had shoulder surgery to mend a partially torn labrum and isn’t expected to return until May.
In light of outstanding upgrades like Bo Bichette (available in free agency) or even trade-talk candidates such as CJ Abrams and Corey Seager, the internal candidate appears to be Jose Caballero. He performed notably well in the 40 games post-trade deadline last season.
Indeed, both Boone and Cashman reiterated their faith in Volpe. But while discussing Caballero, Cashman also mentioned Grisham—a player who unexpectedly stepped up last season and proved he could be an everyday option.
Caballero has stolen 93 bases in the past two seasons and has shown a noteworthy improvement in his batting average since joining the Yankees (.266/.372/.456). He may take longer to establish himself, possibly exceeding a month.
“You can’t really predict a player’s journey or their impact,” Cashman shared from Orlando, Florida. He acknowledged both players’ strengths but emphasized that it will ultimately be about performance. “The game sorts out the boys from the men over time,” he added. Players earn their spots based on how they perform, which implies there could be a competition while Volpe recovers.
This situation feels a bit uncertain; Caballero is poised to fill in at shortstop until Volpe is back. The Yankees haven’t mentioned any competition for the position since Volpe won it over Oswaldo Peraza during the 2023 spring training.
A New Jersey native, Volpe was once seen as the natural heir to Derek Jeter. He had an excellent spring training, displayed solid defense, and even snagged a Gold Glove Award. However, he struggled with strikeouts, finishing with a batting average of just .209, albeit with impressive power for a rookie (21 homers).
In his second season, he worked on improving his contact, which raised his average to .243, but his overall performance metrics didn’t shift much. Last year, he again adjusted his technique and experimented with a more powerful swing. The OPS numbers didn’t show much improvement over those years, lingering around .666, .657, and .663.
Boone noted that Volpe has to find ways to enhance his stats. “Every year, he reaches his goals a bit differently, but he needs to boost those numbers,” Boone said, acknowledging Volpe’s talent, especially in critical moments, like during the ’24 postseason.
Despite putting up an OPS of .768 in 33 games last season before a shoulder injury sidelined him, Volpe’s performance declined. He showed signs of life in September, shortly after receiving a cortisone injection. It felt like he might have been on the verge of turning the corner before health issues struck.
Now, if Volpe wants to prove himself, he’s looking at delays. He won’t be able to swing until mid-February and likely won’t be back until mid-April. Even when he returns, his job security might not be what it once was.
