{"id":265013,"date":"2026-08-14T02:48:29","date_gmt":"2026-08-14T02:48:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/265013\/"},"modified":"2026-08-14T02:48:29","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T02:48:29","slug":"anthony-volpe-opens-up-on-yankees-future-life-in-triple-a-playing-2nd-base","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/265013\/","title":{"rendered":"Anthony Volpe opens up on Yankees future, life in Triple-A, playing 2nd base"},"content":{"rendered":"

ALLENTOWN, Pa. \u2014 Anthony Volpe<\/a> had good company for his first minor-league road trip in four years, a short 72-mile bus ride through Pennsylvania. And who wouldn\u2019t want to hang out with Oswaldo Cabrera?<\/p>\n

This Lackawanna County-to-Allentown journey for six games in six days included three others who can relate to Volpe being thrust last week into a \u201cBack to the Future\u201d life. <\/p>\n

Fellow infielder Max Schuemann, catcher J.C. Escarra<\/a> and outfielder Jasson Dominguez also recently were living the dream, playing for the Yankees one day, then, 72 hours later, were back as members of the Triple-A Scranton\/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.<\/p>\n

They all would have loved for Marty McFly to swing by in a 1.21-gigawatt-fueled DeLorean to drop them off at Yankee Stadium so they could dress in pinstripes for Tuesday night\u2019s Yankees series opener with the Mariners. Instead, their attire was RailRiders\u2019 road grays on Tail Waggin\u2019 Tuesday at Coca-Cola Park.<\/p>\n

Two hours before the first pitch, a lengthy RailRiders hitters\u2019 meeting ended and Volpe headed out to the field to prepare for his second game at his new position. A shortstop with the Yankees since his MLB debut on Opening Day 2023, Volpe has played second base in two of his four Triple-A games since he was demoted last week.<\/p>\n

Yankees moneyline is set at -124 on DraftKings<\/a> for Wednesday\u2019s game versus Seattle. Our complete DraftKings Sportsbook review<\/a> makes it easy to navigate through their app.<\/p>\n

Volpe watched and listened to bench coach Gil Velazquez go over footwork tips that second basemen use to turn double plays. He nodded his head and chimed in. He also smiled a lot.<\/p>\n

Dressed in gym shorts and a long-sleeve Yankees T-shirt, Volpe also seemed to be having fun when he was at second base turning double plays during infield practice. The 25-year-old last played second base during his freshman year at Delbarton School. But with his feet, glove and arm, Volpe looked more like vintage Willie Randolph than someone new to the position.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnthony\u2019s only been here for a few days, but he\u2019s been out in the field working,\u201d Escarra said before Scranton\/Wilkes-Barre\u2019s 5-4 loss. \u201cHis attitude looks great to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

This is what RailRiders manager Shelley Duncan has seen every day since Volpe showed up last Thursday.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve seen guys crumble when they get sent down and I\u2019ve seen guys where it drives them to get better,\u201d Duncan said. \u201cI\u2019ve seen it all. There isn\u2019t one player that gets sent down where it doesn\u2019t sting. It\u2019s how you deal with it. You walk in with your chin up or you walk in with your head between your legs.<\/p>\n

\u201cVolpe walked in with his chin up. He\u2019s been an outstanding teammate from the moment he\u2019s walked in here. From his first step, it was \u2018Let\u2019s get to work.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s probably a blessing in disguise that you get three days off between getting sent down because sometimes players need that space to get in the right frame of mind. Volpe\u2019s been awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n

Volpe used all 72 hours of his allotted time following his option. He has a place in Manhattan, but moved back into his parents\u2019 Watchung home for three days. He slept in his old bedroom and spent hours reflecting on all the good and bad that have been mixed into his four seasons with the Yankees.<\/p>\n

He thought about his future, which is uncertain because the Yankees have decided George Lombard Jr.<\/a>, one of the majors\u2019 best prospects, was ready to come up from Triple-A and play shortstop every day as a 21-year-old with 56 games of Triple-A experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou go through every emotion,\u201d Volpe said. \u201cYeah. Those three days make you go through your whole career up to this point. You put your heart and your soul into this game, and this is part of it.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all know what I signed up for. Now I get to wake up every day and do what I want and get better and improve. At the same time, in so many ways, you feel you did all these things to help the team win and be the best teammate and do your best.\u201d<\/p>\n

The kid who had a Yankees cap on his head at 2 hours old and attended hundreds of games at Yankee Stadium accomplished something that childhood idol Derek Jeter \u2014 or anyone else in franchise history \u2014 never did: winning a Gold Glove as a rookie. Volpe also hit a grand slam in Game 4 of the 2024 World Series. <\/p>\n

But his fielding has regressed over the last two years, especially in 2025, when he played with a tear in his left labrum starting in May. His fielding percentage was the worst among shortstops in the league. <\/p>\n

In four seasons and 528 games with the Yankees, Volpe also has a career 24.9% strikeout rate and .224 batting average, with 53 home runs. He batted .212 last season.<\/p>\n

By late last season, Yankees fans were constantly booing Volpe, who had once been a big crowd favorite.<\/p>\n

The fan abuse was bad at times this year, too. He spent the first month on the injured list recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, then was optioned because Jose Caballero filled in at shortstop so well. But when Caballero broke a finger and went on the IL for 10 days, Volpe was back up and getting a majority of the shortstop reps again through July. <\/p>\n

\u201cI thought about everything, obviously last year just gritting your teeth and doing it (injured),\u201d Volpe said. \u201cI thought about the ups and downs this year. But if I could do it 100 times, I\u2019d do it the exact way 100 more times because I just wanted to win.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll put up with anything in the world if I feel like I\u2019m on a team that can win the World Series in New York. I know it comes with everything, but I wouldn\u2019t trade that for the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

While Volpe was struggling at the plate last month, he grew angry over a report that said he was unwilling to play second base earlier this season when he was in Triple-A. Citing anonymous sources, Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay reported the claim on his ESPN radio show before retracting it the following day. <\/p>\n

At the time, Volpe stated, \u201cIt couldn\u2019t be further from the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n

Volpe said that he was never asked or told to play another position until his meeting with manager Aaron Boone on Aug. 3 in which he was told he was being optioned.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m game for whatever,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m excited to show I can do it. Really.\u201d<\/p>\n

Volpe made sure that his Triple-A coaching staff knew the truth as soon as he arrived.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen he came here, that was one of the conversations that came out of him,\u201d Velazquez said. \u201cI wasn\u2019t trying to dig it out, but he mentioned that he doesn\u2019t understand why people created that story.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know for a fact that story wasn\u2019t true. Us that know him, we know he\u2019s more than willing to move to second base. He\u2019s a Yankee. He wants to help the team win a World Series.\u201d<\/p>\n

It remains unclear whether Volpe will get another chance with the Yankees. They\u2019re committed to Lombard, who\u2019s hitting .286 with two homers and has provided sensational play at shortstop in his first six games. If the Yankees\u2019 other infielders stay healthy, Volpe will probably finish the season in the minors.<\/p>\n

There could be an attainable path to return in 2027, however, because second baseman Jazz Chisholm is headed for free agency and is a long shot to return to New York. If Volpe isn\u2019t traded in the offseason, he\u2019d likely compete with Caballero next season for the starting second base job, with the loser making the roster as a utility player.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t have anything for you on that,\u201d Volpe said.<\/p>\n

Volpe\u2019s only concern now is using the rest of this season to get better. That includes mastering second base.<\/p>\n

It\u2019ll take some time to adjust to new responsibilities, such as covering first base on bunts, relay throw positioning and, of course, the pivot on double plays, which is much different from how a shortstop turns two.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you first go from short to second base, it feels awkward,\u201d Velazquez said. \u201cYou feel like you\u2019re on the opposite side of the field, which you are. The footwork is slightly different, placing your feet for double play turns and double play feeds. Volpe\u2019s got that.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just a matter of reps for him to feel comfortable. Honestly, the days I\u2019ve seen him work at second base, there\u2019s nothing that alerts me. He looks comfortable at second. He\u2019s got the athleticism. His actions are fluid. His rhythm is good.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before next season, Volpe might be playing third base, too.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe, but let\u2019s not throw the whole kit and caboodle at him right now,\u201d Duncan said. \u201cLet\u2019s take this first step and get Volpe as many reps as possible at second base. He\u2019s gonna play there quite a bit. The reason why is it\u2019s important to add that to his repertoire.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Volpe gets to a comfort level at second, then we\u2019ll have a discussion to see what\u2019s needed with the big-league team, the organization.\u201d<\/p>\n

Volpe\u2019s long-term future with the Yankees may come down to his bat. Can he provide enough offense to warrant a starting job at any position?<\/p>\n

Volpe batted .212 with 19 homers, a 25.2 percent strikeout rate and a 7.2 percent walk rate last season. This year, he\u2019s hit only one homer in 194 plate appearances in 56 games for the Yankees, but has increased his average to .240 while improving his strikeout rate to 22.3 percent and his walk rate to 11.3 percent.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like when Volpe was rehabbing with us earlier this year, he was trying to change the type of hitter he was in the past,\u201d Velazquez said. \u201cHe was trying to get on, get his single, hit for a little more for average. He changed his swing a little bit. He\u2019s become a better hitter. But it\u2019s a small window. I\u2019m looking forward to seeing where all this goes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Volpe has hit .230 with a .607 OPS in 22 minor-league games, including a .224 average with two homers in 13 Triple-A games, which included a 2-for-5 outing from the leadoff spot on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis opportunity allows him to work on little things where he can be a multi-dimensional hitter, where he can be situational and have the pop when he picks and chooses,\u201d Duncan said. \u201cHe can be a good all-around hitter. It\u2019s a little easier to focus on that down here without the pressure of producing results on a nightly basis.<\/p>\n

\u201cVolpe\u2019s experience has given him insight. What were his strengths? What were some things he had weaknesses with? He knows himself better than anyone, so he\u2019s going to be able to dial in on the things that he knows he needs to do to be the best big-league hitter he can. This is a good environment for it. It can make him better in the long run.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the goal.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to look at this, as clich\u00e9 as it sounds, as a turning point in my career,\u201d Volpe said. \u201cI have an opportunity here to work on my dream. I know how it is up there in New York with everything. You make adjustments, but you\u2019re responsible for doing your job that night.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think to be the player that I want to be, I can use this time for my benefit. And that\u2019ll be for the Yankees\u2019 benefit, hopefully.\u201d<\/p>\n

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