The New York Yankees went into the offseason saying that shortstop was a priority. Gleyber Torres was moved to second base, and with five of the top shortstops in the game in free agency, it was expected that the Yankees would spend lavishly to upgrade the position.
Then came the excuses. They decided that they did not want to spend at the top of the market. Then the Yankees determined that they just wanted a stopgap for the 2022 season because they were keeping the seat warm for Anthony Volpe.
New York Yankees putting pressure on Anthony Volpe
Volpe has been entirely untouchable for the Yankees. They will not consider any trade that he is mentioned in as they regard him as a future star. As someone who is considered a future 20-20 player at short and a true five tool prospect, one can understand why the Yankees would be reluctant to part with him.
He made some adjustments to help him explode as a prospect. Volpe tweaked his swing so it is more compact and simpler while adding plenty of strength over the past two years. The results were obvious in his performance last season as he produced a .294/.423/.604 batting line in his 513 plate appearances with 27 homers, 35 doubles, and 33 steals.
The problem is that Volpe has not reached Double-A yet. It is easy to get caught up in the idea of what he could be and to hope that he will be the Yankees’ next star at shortstop. But he is still relatively untested at this point in time.
That test will likely begin this year. Volpe is expected to begin the season in Double-A, the first true testing ground for prospects. He will be young for the level, but that does not mean that his expectations will be any lower. That pressure is just starting.
Anthony Volpe is expected to be a future star for the New York Yankees. After eschewing the top shortstops in free agency, there is a lot of pressure on him.