Ever since Derek Jeter stopped donning the pinstripes in 2014, the New York Yankees haven’t had a top shortstop prospect to really get excited about. That all changes now, with 21-year-old Anthony Volpe winning the starting job where he’s set to make his debut on Opening Day.
The Yankees began training camp with a trio of candidates vying for the starting shortstop role, with Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Oswald Peraza also competing for the job, but evidently, the team brass liked what they saw from less-experienced Volpe instead.
With Kiner-Falefa being a former Gold Glove winner and Peraza also being a highly-touted prospect in his own right, if anything, Volpe was viewed as a longshot to actually win the leading role.
Yet, after hitting .314 with three home runs and five RBI, along with five stolen bases across just 60 plate appearances in Spring Training, the Yankees feel they have seen enough from the New Jersey native. Volpe has not only made the team, but he’s set to be the team’s starting shortstop heading into the 2023 MLB season.
Volpe is the top prospect in the Yankees’ minor league system and is ranked as the fifth-best prospect in the entire league, according to MLB.com.
While making the team out of Spring Training is one thing, now the 30th overall pick of the 2019 MLB Draft needs to prove he belongs. We’ve seen several prospects appear ready in exhibition play, only to experience growing pains once they’re faced with the everyday grind of being an MLB player.
While no one expects Volpe to look anything like The Captain now or any time soon, we’ll see how the rookie acclimates himself, although he’s already ahead of the curve.
The Yankees are set to open the regular season on Thursday, March 30, when they host the San Francisco Giants at Yankee Stadium for a three-game series.
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