Michael Kay Drops Bold Anthony Volpe Prediction for Yankees

New York Yankees infielder Anthony Volpe is back in the big leagues, but this time, he will be playing second base rather than shortstop.

Jazz Chisholm is now on the 10-day injured list, and he might be out for longer than just a week-and-a-half. That means Volpe could be manning second on somewhat permanent basis for the remainder of 2026.

In fact, Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay feels that Volpe might up end up starting at the position next spring.

“The Yankees believe there is a big league player in there," Kay said. "... This is now what turns into a 17-game tryout. I don’t think Jazz is gonna be back before the regular season ends. ... Anthony Volpe being called up and not playing every day is stupid, it’s stupid. It would be better to bring up [Max] Schuemann. ... Anthony Volpe is gonna be your second baseman… Let’s say he does hit like .280, plays well at second, then I think he probably starts next year as the favorite to be the second baseman.”

Volpe missed the first two months of the season due to offseason shoulder surgery. He returned in May and slashed .240/.325/.322 with one home run and 19 RBI over 194 plate appearances before being demoted in favor of George Lombard Jr.

The 25-year-old made his big-league debut in 2023 and won a Gold Glove during his rookie campaign while also smashing 21 homers.

Since then, however, Volpe has proven to be a pretty big disappointment.

Frustration surrounding Volpe began boiling over last year when he slashed .212/.272/.391 while playing substandard defense. His defensive struggles surely had to do with a torn labrum that plagued him all season, but that didn't stop Yankees fans from wanting the former first-round pick gone.

Then, when Volpe returned in 2026 and continued to struggle, New York lost patience with the hometown kid and sent him down to Triple-A.

Volpe definitely performed well in the minor leagues, hitting 11 home runs. Now, he will get a chance to redeem himself on the big-league level.

Whether or not Volpe gets a chance to stick for next season remains to be seen, but with Chisholm slated to hit free agency this winter, he definitely has a golden opportunity.