In the first two seasons that Anthony Volpe has been with the Yankees, he’s mostly underwhelmed. While he’s been a stellar fielder, the former top prospect has been disappointing offensively. The organization didn’t expect this when they named him their starting shortstop after just one Spring Training. However, the former first-round pick is coming off a solid postseason performance that will hopefully carry into 2025. With promising shortstop prospects George Lombard Jr. and Roderick Arias in the system; Anthony Volpe must put it together offensively this season.
A Disappointing Two Years
The first two seasons of Anthony Volpe’s career with the Yankees have been underwhelming. He’s compiled a slash line of .228/.288/.373 with 33 homers, 120 RBI, and a .661 OPS. The team had higher expectations after naming him the starting shortstop after one Spring Training with the big club. His sophomore season in 2024 was arguably more frustrating.
Many people expected that Anthony Volpe would have a breakout season in 2024. The 23-year-old even put together a solid first three months of the season. However, Volpe didn’t take the next step. Instead, he slumped badly in June and never recovered. The former top prospect compiled a slash line of .243/.293/.364 with 12 homers, 60 RBI, and a .657 OPS. Despite displaying little power, the former first-round pick had a strikeout rate of 22.6%. This wasn’t what the Yankees or their fans expected from Volpe last season.
A Strong 2024 Postseason
However, despite having a disappointing regular season, Volpe showed why the Yankees made him their starting shortstop over Oswald Peraza. During the Yankees’ postseason run, the 23-year-old slashed .286/.407/.408 with one home run, six RBI, and a .815 OPS. His only home run was a grand slam against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series. This propelled the Yankees to an 11-4 win in game four, extending the series to a fifth game.
Anthony Volpe Needs To Take The Next Step
This upcoming season is a big one for Anthony Volpe. He needs to take that next step in his development offensively. The third season is when teams start to think about whether a young player will be a part of their future plans. In 2026, Volpe will be eligible for arbitration for the first time in his career. If a young player fails to be productive, teams will not tender them instead of dealing with their rising costs, thus making them a free agent.
The Yankees Have Promising Shortstop Prospects
Anthony Volpe should maybe take a peek inside the New York Yankees farm system. Shortstops George Lombard Jr. and Roderick Arias are both ranked in the organization’s top five prospect list according to prospects1500.com. While Lombard Jr. and Arias aren’t projected to be big-league-ready until 2027 and 2029, they are both highly valued by the team. If Volpe doesn’t step it up, one of them could be taking his spot in the future.
Anthony Volpe Has To Find Offensive Consistency In 2025
This upcoming season is a big one for Anthony Volpe. The third year in a young player’s career is when teams start to form their final determinations about him. It’s also the season when they are a year away from being arbitration-eligible and their salaries start to rise. Teams will non-tender young players who are unproductive thus making them low-value free agents. Volpe needs to prove he can be a positive contributor offensively. If Anthony Volpe’s bat is inconsistent again, then the Yankees might start envisioning a future with someone else playing shortstop.
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