The New York Yankees tapped Anthony Volpe to be their franchise shortstop in 2023, but he is no longer viewed as an integral part of the team’s future. Although management is not outright giving up on the former Gold Glover, Aaron Boone is publicly supporting the injured Jose Caballero for the starting job. Volpe has not earned his spot back. He is rejoining the Yanks due to factors that had little to do with him.
What the 25-year-old can do, however, is use the lessons he has learned from his recent trials and tribulations. Even if Volpe has yet to find an offensive approach that works for him — batted .222 with a .662 OPS through his first 1,886 big-league plate appearances and hovered around the Mendoza Line in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre — he can still bring a new mindset with him in his return to the Yankees.
“If I learned anything out of all this, it’s there’s things I can control and things I can’t,” Volpe said, per Gary Phillips of New York Daily News Sports. “We got a game tomorrow, and that’s what I’m focused on. Throughout this whole thing, it’s been day-to-day, how I could get better, how I can improve, and that’s all I’m focused on.”
The New Jersey native dreamed of becoming the Yankees shortstop and surely had expectations that exceeded his current reality. Though, following prolonged offensive struggles, he has had to accept that his MLB journey will be far from a straightforward path. The No. 30 overall selection in the 2019 draft has reached the point in his career where he will need to grind his way to a regular role. He is not the golden boy anymore.
One should not discount his toughness, however. Anthony Volpe played much of the 2025 campaign with a partially torn labrum, which made it even more difficult to break out of a slump. His defense also regressed. When Caballero returns from the injured list, Volpe could very well be headed back to the minor leagues.
The young right-handed hitter understands his situation. The Yankees have made their current stance quite clear. He is not guaranteed any additional leeway down the road. All Volpe can do now is seize each moment he has in Pinstripes.
