Italy, the United States, the Dominican Republic, and Venezuela all made for some epic television at the end of the World Baseball Classic. The rooting interests for a lot of New York Yankees fans may have been upped a bit with Aaron Judge taking center stage for Team USA, but one of his teammates also had a good showing, even if they didn’t steal headlines.

That’s Jose Caballero, who, for now, will be taking shortstop duties when the season starts against the San Francisco Giants later this week. With Anthony Volpe out, this will be the most runway Caballero will have to make an impression since last year, when, for a few games, Aaron Boone called on him and sent Volpe to the bench.

While Panama didn’t make the type of noise other teams did, Caballeo made a few dazzling plays that should make one dream on his potential if you’re a Yankees fan. While he may not be a long-term solution — at least, at least this point he isn’t — for a team that is looking to contend, he has a chance to make a difference in the way Volpe just wasn’t able to last year.

Caballero at the WBC

This video, under the paragraph here, is one of the more spectacular plays at shortstop. The situational awareness to keep his eye on the ball, even as it bounces out of the second baseman’s hands, is the kind of thing that isn’t taught, but is more instinctual than anything.

It doesn’t seem like Caballero was thinking here. He just grabbed that ball and tossed it for the out.

The sure-handedness of this double play was electric as well.

Caballero even flashed a little bit of power. He homered to break up a no-hitter here.

Then there was this clutch hit in extras. It was the go-ahead run against Team Puerto Rico, which was favored to win.

It was a solid showing for Caballero at the World Baseball Classic on both sides of the ball. For Panama, he hit .267/.421/.533. He had a homer, a double, two singles, and drove in two.

This is coming off of an impressive introductory season for the Yankees, where he was traded mid-game. In 95 plate appearances after that trade last year, Caballeo hit .26/.372/.456.

He also showed a little more power, hitting three homers while with the Yankees. He had four total with the Rays in 280 PA. It’s clear that he found a different gear last season, and while it was a tiny sample size at the WBC, it was reminiscent of what he flashed after the Rays dealt him.

Volpe vs. Caballero

It’s just an unfortunate truth that, when Volpe is healthy, he is likely to get his job back, and Caballero will be a roving infielder. The Yankees should avoid doing that, though.

If the team is rolling and Caballero is productive, he shouldn’t lose his job to Volpe. It’s true that their former top prospect was dealing with a shoulder injury, but there hasn’t been a season where he was even an average offensive hitter.

Caballero has never been that with his bat either, but in the Volpe conversation, you can make the argument that he has had enough opportunities to show he can be an everyday shortstop. If his defense is taking a hit the way it did last year, he isn’t bringing much to the table.

This isn’t to say Volpe can’t be the player the Yankees envisioned him to be. His makeup as a person and the way he carries himself make him seem like a 3D-printed version of that quintessential Yankee. He says and does all the right things, and he has held himself accountable.

Volpe is also one of those teammates you want in a foxhole. He proved that as much in the 2024 American League Division Series. He got snippy with Maikel Garcia, even getting in the third baseman’s face. It’s the type of emotion you wouldn’t expect from looking at Volpe, but there’s an intensity there he doesn’t get enough credit for.

Volpe, the person, is great. So is that work ethic. Unfortunately the results haven’t mirrored the intangibles. That stinks, because he would be one of the more exciting players in baseball if he were even a decent hitter.

In year four, it may be time to look elsewhere for the position. Caballero should be the first guy to get a shot at playing shortstop every day. If not him, then the Yankees should continue that search.

To learn more about the Yankees from Spring Training and beyond, subscribe to All Yankees Talk, where new episodes are featured twice a week!