The New York Yankees are expected to enter the 2023 campaign with one of the young guns starting at shortstop.
Incumbent Isiah Kiner-Falefa will likely be a super-utility player or trade bait.
Oswald Peraza looks like the favorite to win the job because he has successful Triple-A experience and some MLB time to his name.
There is another name to watch, though, in the fight for a starting gig at the infield’s most important position: Anthony Volpe.
Volpe hasn’t mastered Triple-A like Peraza did, but hit 21 homers and stole 50 bases last year between High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A.
In addition to that, he is having such a good spring that there is a chance he breaks camp with the Yankees.
The young shortstop is hitting .320/.433/.680 with three doubles, two homers, and three stolen bases together with a brilliant 1.113 OPS.
Volpe is, by far, the best prospect on the Yanks.
However, they convinced themselves to start Peraza’s clock, and he is a perfectly serviceable prospect in his own right.
Volpe still hasn’t aced Triple-A and the Yankees probably don’t want to start his service time clock until he is 100 percent ready for The Show.
According to an insider, he already is.
Now Anthony Volpe homers to right. I’m not sure what else he needs to do.
—Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) March 12, 2023
This spring, Volpe has done it all: hit for average, power, get walks (four walks and a .433 OBP), and play good defense.
He is trying to force his way to the majors, but the truth is the odds are against him as long as veteran Josh Donaldson is on the team.
Gleyber Torres and DJ LeMahieu’s presence, not to mention Peraza’s, also complicate matters.
Truth be told, the Yankees need to make sure he is playing every day to keep developing.
That can only happen in Triple-A at this point in time.
NEXT:
Isiah Kiner-Falefa Flashes Surprising Power On Friday
