After the stars were in perfect alignment, the future of Anthony Volpe with the New York Yankees is in doubt. A New York native, the Yankees drafted Volpe in 2019 and named him their opening day shortstop in 2023. A hometown kid stepping into the most important position in the infield? This seemed like a familiar sight for Yankees fans.
Fast forward to 2025, and the outlook for the Yankees’ young shortstop isn’t as promising as it once was. After a recent benching for two games by manager Aaron Boone, it’s fair to question if Volpe will be the Yankee shortstop next season. And if it’s not Volpe, then who will it be?
A Familiar Face
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The first option for the Yankees is an in-house guy already on the team. Acquired at this year’s trade deadline in exchange for Everson Pereira, Jose Caballero has enjoyed a good few weeks in New York. Known for his speed between the basepaths, Caballero leads MLB with 40 stolen bases, including six with his new team. But despite only playing in 16 games so far, Caballero boasts an average of .281 and a WAR of 0.8. It’s obviously a small sample size, but the returns have been promising for the former seventh-round draft pick. He’s only signed through this year, meaning the Yankees would have to commit money to him to retain him. However, he wouldn’t cost a fortune by any means.
A Young Talent
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The second option is another in-house guy, although he’s yet to join the big-league club. The Yankees’ first-round selection in 2023, George Lombard Jr. has enjoyed a breakout season in Double-A this year. In just over 400 plate appearances, Lombard has hit .235 with 38 RBI. Most importantly, his nine errors far outdo Volpe’s 17. In the end, though, Lombard is still 21 years old and will likely need a few more years in the minors to finish developing. After all, the Yankees called up Volpe at just 21 years old, and a majority of the fanbase clamored for him to stay in the minors one more year. As talented as he is, the Yankees will surely take a more patient approach with Lombard than they did with Volpe.
A Proven Commodity
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The third and final option, although highly unlikely, is Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto. At just 24 years old, Neto has already established himself as one of the sport’s premier shortstops. After posting a 5.1 WAR season in 2024, Neto has already produced a WAR of 4.6 with about 30 games left in the 2025 season. In both years, he’s hit 22+ home runs with 23+ stolen bases, all while batting close to .270. Unfortunately for New York, players of Neto’s caliber are rarely dealt, especially when they’re so young. Still, the Angels haven’t made the playoffs since 2014, and they don’t appear close to competition anytime soon. If the right deal comes along, especially one including New York prospects George Lombard Jr. and Spencer Jones, Los Angeles might have to at least consider trading him. After all, didn’t they learn the harsh reality of free agency with Shohei Ohtani, who signed with the crosstown rival Los Angeles Dodgers for 10 years and $700 million in the 2023 offseason?
Whether Anthony Volpe returns next year remains a mystery, as the future is unknown. The Yankees are in the thick of the wild card race, so their top priority is clinching a postseason berth. As for now, it’s safe to say that Anthony Volpe’s future in New York depends on these final few weeks as he seeks to stake his claim as the Yankees’ starting shortstop in 2026.
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New York Yankees
As an O’s fan, I can only hope Volpe stays with the Yanks next year