The New York Yankees will have plenty of time to mull over what went wrong this season, and they have two major questions to consider at the infield: shortstop and first.

Anthony Volpe, the Yankees’ starting shortstop, found himself in the press repeatedly this regular season for his mounting errors and underwhelming offensive performance. At times, Volpe was first in the league in fielding errors, sometimes dipping to second place behind Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz, but with less to show for it on offense. Volpe finished his third regular season in the majors with a .212/ .272/ .391 batting average, 19 home runs and 72 RBIs. The Yankees organization appear to be invested in Volpe as a defender, with manager Aaron Boone frequently pointing to his performance in 2023 (his Gold Glove season) as evidence that he is an elite player. His performance in the postseason, while still unreliable, showed that he still has potential as a defensive player, and he is likely to return as the Yankees starter unless something changes in the organization’s collective mindset.

Oct 4, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (11) hits a double in front of Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk (30) in the sixth inning during game one of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images / Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

At the trade deadline, the Yankees acquired Jose Caballero, a shortstop for the Tampa Bay Rays, as a utility player, but eventually an alternative to Volpe during tough stretches. It came to light late in the regular season that Volpe had been suffering from a shoulder injury and was treated with a cortisone shot before the postseason, after which he was a much stronger batting presence than he had been. So, will Volpe’s recovery allow him to return to his former excellence? Or was this a fluke, and his troubles will follow him into 2026? In the end, Volpe’s postseason stats point to a more lasting problem. He walks away with a .192 batting average, five hits for one home run and two RBIs. If the Yankees are looking for a spiritual replacement for Derek Jeter at shortstop, they will likely have to keep looking.

Ben Rice

Yankees’ utility man Ben Rice, a sophomore out of the Yankees’ own farm system, will be entering his third season after a 2025 spent at first base and catcher. The 26-year-old had a breakout season offensively, and even proved his worth against Opening Day starting catcher Austin Wells, playing in his place at times during the regular season. Still, he is an imperfect solution at first base, and the question is whether to look for someone stronger defensively, or keep developing this talented kid.

SNY.tv’s Anthony McCarron speculated about Rice’s role on the team, citing his strong offensive performance and substandard defensive performance as reasons that Rice may be a controversial choice for the starting role.

“Ben Rice emerged in a big way this season, but is he the everyday first baseman going forward?” McCarron wrote.

“He certainly hits enough (26 homers, ridiculous hard-hit metrics, 19th-best slugging percentage in MLB). He needs to improve on defense, however.”

Oct 5, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice (22) hits a two-RBI double in the seventh inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game two of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images / John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

“So the Yankees should bring in a right-handed hitting complement who can provide the glove-work.”

“Rice can also catch and be a lefty DH, which might open more opportunities at first for a free agent, or even Bellinger, depending on how the outfield evolves.”

Facing yet another offseason with furious fans clamoring for major changes to management, the Yankees will look to make at least some major changes to improve their odds at another World Series win. Emotions are high at the moment, but we’ll see where these two young men wind up when spring comes around.

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