This New York Yankees player might be done for good.
The New York Yankees made a stunning decision on Sunday, electing to option shortstop Anthony Volpe to Triple-A after he was reinstated from the injured list.
While there was deliberation as to whether or not it would be a good idea for Volpe to replace Jose Caballero as the starter, most assumed that the 24-year-old would at least be called up to the big leagues in some capacity.
Apparently, the Yankees felt he would be better off down in the minors, which is a massive bucket of ice water for the former first-round pick.
The problem is that Volpe has not even been producing at the minor-league level.
In rehab 12 games between Double-A and Triple-A, Volpe slashed .275/.333/.350 over 45 plate appearances. While that's obviously a small sample size, a .683 OPS against minor-league pitching isn't pretty no matter how you slice it.
Volpe is now healthy after undergoing offseason shoulder surgery to address a torn labrum that plagued him for most of 2025, so at this point, it's probably not a physical thing with Volpe. Sure, he might be a little stiff and rusty and may need to get his timing back, but something else could be going on here.
It's entirely possible that the hometown kid has completely lost his confidence.
New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe. Credit: USA TODAY Network.We kind of saw this last year when Volpe was getting booed in the face of slashing .212/.272/.391 across 596 trips to the dish while his defense also slipped considerably.
Yes, the injury certainly played a major role in Volpe's struggles. Remember: he was actually performing pretty well prior to the shoulder injury in May. But it also seemed pretty clear that a lack of belief was an issue for the youngster.
The amount of pressure facing Volpe is borderline insurmountable at this point. It's hard to find a more glamorous position in baseball than the Yankees' starting shortstop. Just ask Derek Jeter what that's like. Heck, even Didi Gregorius.
And when you're laboring to the extent that Volpe has been, the weight of that responsibility could become crushing.
Volpe seemed to handle the fan unrest well last season. He didn't complain, and he didn't appear rattled. At least not visibly. But his production suffered, and you have to think the intense pressure played a significant role.
Now, Volpe is battling for his future. Forget George Lombard Jr. He was just unseated by Jose Caballero, a lifetime .231 hitter. That's a horrible feeling.
No disrespect to Caballero, who has been playing very well, but can you imagine New York saying "no" to Jeter, Gregorius or any other shortstop that was even moderately productive over the years because Caballero was in the way?
It has reached a stage where Volpe might be irrevocably broken ... or maybe the Yankees were in over their heads when they took him 30th overall in the 2019 MLB Draft to begin with.
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