Anthony Volpe is able to return to the majors, and but he stays within the minors.
In a stunning growth, given how Volpe has been handled since successful the on a regular basis job in spring coaching 2023, the Yankees usually are not (but) merely handing him again the reins to one of the crucial prized positions in baseball.
A minimum of for the second, the Yankees have a full-blown shortstop competitors.
With José Caballero scorching, Volpe will stay with Double-A Somerset a minimum of via Sunday, supervisor Aaron Boone mentioned, at which level the Yankees can have exhausted the 20 days Volpe is allowed to take part in a rehab project.
By Monday, the Yankees should resolve whether or not to carry Volpe again to the majors — and if that’s the case, in what position — or whether or not to formally possibility him to the minor leagues, a step by no means taken in Volpe’s three main league seasons even via prolonged struggles.
Throughout nearly all of these seasons, although, the Yankees didn’t have Caballero or any authentic different possibility at shortstop.
“José’s earned alternatives and been a key a part of our membership right here and part of our success right here to begin out the season,” Boone mentioned earlier than starting a sequence with the Orioles in The Bronx on Friday. “In order that’s a part of it. And I believe it’s only a scenario the place: I believe one of many good issues that’s occurred for us as a crew … is now we have plenty of actually good gamers and depth, and good gamers competing for essential roles and spots on the membership.
“José is a part of that. Anthony we count on to be a part of that as properly.”
As just lately as three weeks in the past, normal supervisor Brian Cashman mentioned Volpe being the beginning shortstop upon being deemed prepared had “at all times been the plan.”
At that time, Caballero was scuffling on offense and protection and Volpe was on the verge of starting his climb via the minors.
However since April 11, Caballero has emerged as a pesky power who entered play 22-for-65 (.338) with a .915 OPS, three house runs and 7 steals within the span.
“I’ve been feeling actually good taking part in on the market and simply attempting to assist my crew win,” mentioned Caballero, who added that he reached a private turning level when he stopped overthinking issues.
His bat has taken off whereas his glove at shortstop has been regular and sometimes good.
“[His defense has] been arguably nearly as good as anybody within the league,” Boone mentioned of Caballero, who basically needed to play good baseball for 3 weeks to create this controversy.
Since Volpe — the New York-native New Jerseyan who idolized Derek Jeter and was a first-rounder out of Delbarton College in 2019 — beat out Oswald Peraza for the on a regular basis shortstop gig three-plus years in the past, the Yankees have stood by a prime prospect they believed could be the current and the longer term.
By no means in a typically disappointing first three main league campaigns did the Yankees ship him again to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for some fine-tuning.
Volpe hit for energy (21 homers) however not a lot else (.209 common) in ’23.
He traded a few of that pop for a extra line drive-focused swing in ’24, however his OPS that season (.657) hovered in the identical neighborhood.
Final season noticed an analogous and discouraging year-ending statline, and his protection declined maybe as a result of he performed via {a partially} torn labrum in his left shoulder that required offseason surgical procedure.
The Yankees’ hope has been that Volpe’s struggles, on either side, could possibly be traced to a foul shoulder that now has been mounted.
His minor league outcomes — he hit .303 with a house run in his first 34 plate appearances — have been encouraging.
Volpe himself has instructed Boone and Cashman that he’s wholesome and capable of assist on the main league degree.
And but he stays a minor leaguer because the Yankees purchase time and don’t wish to alter the position of a streaking Caballero, who can play throughout however acknowledged he feels at his greatest when he can give attention to one spot.
Boone mentioned he expects Volpe to be “an enormous a part of this crew,” which isn’t the identical factor as declaring he would be the on a regular basis shortstop.
“He completely seems like he’s able to go and contribute right here,” Boone mentioned of Volpe. “We’ll finally make that call after we suppose it’s greatest for not solely him, however the membership.”
