Jul 13, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (11) fields a ground ball hit by Chicago Cubs third baseman Matt Shaw (6) (not pictured) during the eighth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
If the New York Yankees truly believed that Anthony Volpe was still their franchise shortstop, he would be with the big club rather than in the minors.
Instead, the Bronx Bombers opted to keep the 25-year-old down with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after his 20-day rehab window from offseason shoulder surgery closed.
The move was a surprising one, especially because general manager Brian Cashman said last month that Volpe getting back to his perch at shortstop in the big leagues had “always been the plan, but ultimately it’ll be the manager’s call.”
Boone’s call this week was booming.
“It’s acknowledging where we are as a club right now. It doesn’t mean somebody’s better or worse,” Boone said. “I think Anthony is going to have a long career and be a really good player in this league. His next step as a player is gaining that consistency offensively. Even through some of his struggles, I think he’s been a way better player than some of the narratives around him sometimes are.”
Volpe’s stock is understandably low despite the clean bill of health. He has a .662 OPS over his three years in the majors, and his defense regressed significantly last season to the tune of a league-leading 19 errors.
The team he is trying to work his way back to is different than what it was last season. They have the best record in baseball, and Jose Caballero is proving to be an upgrade at shortstop to the tune of a .725 OPS and a league-leading 13 stolen bases.
“We have to acknowledge first, how well [Caballero] has played,” Boone said. “He’s been just a key factor in us getting off to a really good start this year, on both sides of the ball… It doesn’t change how we feel about Anthony, the kind of player we think he is and will be. But in this moment in time, you felt like this was absolutely the right thing to do.”
Of course, there is a way back to the bigs in all of this. If Caballero cools off, Volpe will be the first man up to right the ship. There are no plans to move him away from shortstop, as Boone was adamant about that. Top prospect and fellow shortstop George Lombard Jr. will also play second and third to ensure Volpe remains at his natural spot.
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