Opinion
The Eternal Shortstop Sob Story
We really thought Volpe was our guy. A top prospect right out of our own farm system, with an impressive second year—enough to give us Jeter feels. Then came the collapse. Among shortstops he ranked 22nd in OPS and AVG, 2nd in errors. This wasn't a slow burn; the signs were there early and we kept hoping. The nagging question: was he brought up too soon?
Yes and no. Here's how other shortstops produced on their way up — and kept delivering by year three.
Anthony Volpe (Batting Average)
Minors ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ .262
Rookie ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ .209
Year2 ████████████ .243
Year3 ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ .212
Bo Bichette
Minors ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ .322
Rookie ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ .311
Year2 ██████████████████ .301
Year3 ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ .298
Carlos Correa
Minors ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ .312
Rookie ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ .279
Year2 ██████████████ .274
Year3 ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ .315
Corey Seager
Minors ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ .307
Rookie ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ .308
Year2 █████████████████ .295
Year3 ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ .267
OPS tells the same story…
Anthony Volpe (OPS)
Minors ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ .881
Rookie ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ .666
Year2 █████████████ .657
Year3 ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ .663
Bo Bichette
Minors ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ .896
Rookie ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ .930
Year2 █████████████████ .840
Year3 ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ .828
Carlos Correa
Minors ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ .876
Rookie ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ .857
Year2 ███████████████ .764
Year3 ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ .811
Corey Seager
Minors ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ .890
Rookie ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ .877
Year2 ██████████████████ .854
Year3 ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ .744
Even among middle-tier shortstops...
Anthony Volpe (Batting Average)
Minors ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ .262
Rookie ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ .209
Year2 ████████████ .243
Year3 ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ .212
Willy Adames
Minors ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ .277
Rookie ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ .278
Yr2 █████████████████ .254
Yr3 ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ .259
Trevor Story
Minors ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ .277
Rookie ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ .272
Yr2 ████████████████ .239
Yr3 ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ .291
I believe he was brought up too soon — but the how is the real issue. Instead of platooning or easing him in, Volpe was plucked from the minors and dropped in front of 46,000 fans at Yankee Stadium on opening day, doing his prep step right there behind our ace, Gerrit Cole. That's some legit pressure. His minor league numbers barely justified a shot — but as our daily starter from day one? His rookie year was shaky, and the Jeter feels came limping back during an impressive second season. That's where it ends. The league adjusted. He didn't.
In 2025 the wheels came off early and it was impossible to miss. Boone did the best he could with the cards he was dealt, and Volpe put the work in. After getting raked by the Dodgers in the World Series, you'd think the front office would be scrutinizing every inch of this roster. They did nothing. By the trade deadline the Yanks were positioned for a playoff run and fans expected a stopgap acquisition. Management stood pat. Damn the torpedo bats! Full speed ahead!
We were hoping our Jersey kid would turn the corner, but when Yankee Stadium starts booing a likable player, pay attention. That's your conscience speaking. Just ask Aaron Hicks.
The gabagools in the front office weren't listening. After a disappointing postseason the expectation, again, was change. Instead they just rolled it back with the same lineup.
The shortstop position at this stadium carries weight and history, but we don't need a superstar. We need output. The last time we had even a mid-pack shortstop was Didi Gregorius, and since then we've been fumbling the same problem: IKF, Gleyber, the Oswald(o)s, now Volpe.
Boone is playing poker with a ten-high. We re-signed Rosario (why?), Caballero should be at 2B instead of Jazz, Cabrera deserves better than this, Jazz has a weak arm (I said it), and now McMahon is getting reps at short. Why settle for elite hot-corner defense when we can find a way to screw that up too?
I don't see anything happening by the August deadline. The brass only cares about pitching, so that leaves us with prospects. The shuttle from Scranton is due for new tires because we've tried every infielder. The guy we haven't given a real shot is George Lombard Jr. Even Cashman admitted he "could play defense in the big leagues right now" but is "still developing on the hitting side." We have the hitting coaches, we have the mentors — I think he's our next shortstop.
I'm optimistic about Lombard, less so about the Yankees making the right call. Put him on the 40-man for well-needed reps. He's homegrown, athletic and already likable. Jeter feels? Not yet.
Come November, when Lombard has settled in, offload Jazz and his price tag, slide Volpe to 2B, and use that money to land a power first baseman. It won't solve everything — but it's needed change, and it positions us better for whatever's left of the prime Judge years.
Around the Horn
Build Bullpens, Not Buy Them (4 minute read)
The Yankees’ pitching development strategy looks like science. Advanced analytics, pitch design labs, grip shaping, and biomechanical analysis now guide how pitchers adjust velocity, spin rate, and profiles. All teams are already doing some sort of nerd-ing but how can you explain how Weaver and Holmes went from nothing to prime time closers? The Yankees figured it out and have done so for past several years.
Martian, Jones, or the "+1" (3 minute read)
Trent Grisham had one of the most surprising Yankees seasons in recent memory. But success hasn't eliminated pressure. With one of the best outfields in the league, this vacant spot is hot. Spencer Jones and Jasson Domínguez are closing in fast. Both bring power and athleticism the Yankees want long-term. Spencer looked good in Spring Training and we already know the Martians speed. For now Grisham holds the job — partly due to his '70s mustache — but if the bat cools, the next wave of talent is already waiting.
"Stanton Can't Open a Bag of Chips"(5 minute read)
But can still open a can of whoop - - -! Big G has battled elbow issues plaguing his swing early in spring training, dropping his average exit velocity below 95 mph. Let's put that in perspective — the stare alone makes the ball go 95; the biceps propel it the other 20. So it adds up if the arms are not working. He did deliver a 113 mph Stantonian blast against the Jays, but he's not going anywhere. "The elbow feels great now — I'm seeing the ball better and letting it travel."
The Bronx Ex-files
Soto Is Aiming for NL MVP
The Mets are moving Soto to left field, a surprise defensive overhaul. He's targeting Ohtani's MVP crown, saying "I've got to find a way to beat him." Maybe switch over to pitching for starters? Less fly balls to drop.
Alex Verdugo Is a Minor Leaguer
And that kind of hurts. Verdugo signed a minor-league deal with the Padres, after hitting .239 with zero homers in 56 games for the Braves in 2025 before being released mid-season. Stats and perfomance aside, he's the only Red Sox crossover that felt like a Yankee since Boggs or Clemens. Dugie had that New York dog in him. Wish he turns it around, even for 1 season.
It's Gleyber Day in Detroit
The Tigers like Torres, enough that he accepted a one-year $22 million qualifying offer. What the heck is a QO? It's rare and offered to free agents who are some of the best players in the game. From 2012-2024, just 14 of the 144 eligible players chose to accept a QO. Pretty sure Torres doesn't fit that bill but the Tigers president certainly thinks so, saying "nobody has better bat-to-ball skills than Gleyber." Guess he hasn't seen Luis Arraez ?
