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Anthony Volpe reacts after grounding out against the Angels.

It’s been a tough stretch for the New York Yankees recently, with their offense showing to be one of the worst in Major League Baseball for whatever reason.

When the Yankees are at their best, their offense is usually the reason why they’re as good as they are. Instead, the Yankees haven’t been able to score runs, a concerning sign. It’s been a team effort for the Yankees throughout their recent struggles, but there have been some other issues, mainly involving Anthony Volpe.

Volpe, who the Yankees were hoping would be one of the better players on their roster when he debuted, just hasn’t shown enough in Major League Baseball. He won a Gold Glove award in 2023, but even his defense has taken a hit at times.

Some believe the Yankees could eventually replace him with George Lombard Jr., while others believe the Yankees will look to add another shortstop in the draft, who could eventually come up and take Volpe’s spot, or move over to second if Lombard pans out. Just Baseball believes that could be the case, predicting them to take Ryan Mitchell, a second baseman/shortstop out of Houston High School.

“Mitchell is amongst the buzzier names in this class presently, and while his name is attached to teams higher up, this is a high upside play for the Yankees. Mitchell is incredibly twitchy with standout contact abilities and bat speed, though he may be a second baseman at the next level.

“The Yankees have the lowest bonus pool in this class, which makes this a tough scenario,” they wrote .

Mitchell’s Fit in the Major Leagues

Mitchell, who played for Team USA, is committed to Georgia Tech. According to Perfect Game, he’s the number one ranked player in Tennessee and the 26th overall player in the 2025 high school class. He’s proven to be a big athlete with some juice, as he continues to grow at 6-foot-2, 185 pounds.

MLB.com believes his best trait is his ability to stay in the zone, adding that he rarely chases pictures.

“Mitchell has a quick left-handed stroke, rarely chases pitches out of the strike zone and makes consistent contact. He has advanced feel for the barrel and a willingness to use the entire field. His hitting ability, bat speed and projectable strength should enable him to grow into average power once he’s fully developed.

“Though Mitchell is a good athlete with solid-to-plus speed, he probably won’t stay at shortstop. His arm and range are merely average, making him better suited for the right side of the infield. He doesn’t have the smoothest hands, which could make center field a more viable option than second base,” they wrote .

Volpe Running Out of Time With the Yankees

For Volpe, he needs to get better, and there’s no question about that. If he doesn’t, the New York Yankees will eventually have to replace him, whether it be with a player like Mitchell or Lombard, or both.

The Yankees could also go the free agency route and hope to find a star shortstop. Regardless, Volpe’s error on Wednesday night was inexcusable, and a .232 batting average with just eight home runs and an OBP of .307 won’t cut it.

“Everyone holds themselves to really high standards. We’re not getting the job done,” Volpe said. “We’re going to keep working and holding each other to that; I hold myself to that. We’re just not performing and not doing the types of things we can control. We can be better.”

Jon Conahan covers the NBA and NFL for Heavy.com. Since 2019, his sports coverage has appeared at Sports Illustrated, oddschecker, ClutchPoints and Sportskeeda. More about Jon Conahan

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