A prominent New York Yankees insider recently argued that the team must adopt a drastic approach to save Anthony Volpe from a slump that’s spiraled out of control.
Not long ago, Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe was seen as the crown jewel of their farm system. In 2023, he was ranked as the team’s top prospect by MLB.com, which is why the New Jersey native earned the chance to win the starting job in spring training last year.
However, his rookie season has been disappointing. Although many believed his struggles wouldn’t last, especially after he hit .293 in May during the team’s strong start, things have taken a sharp downturn since spring.
Volpe is now entrenched in another severe slump, both at the plate and in the field. After nearly hitting .300 in May, his August batting average has plummeted below .200, leading to growing frustration among New York fans and increasing calls for change.
On Monday, New York Post MLB insider Joel Sherman argued that the Yankees need to take drastic action and consider sending their top 2023 prospect back to the minors.
“What’s critical for 2024 and beyond is Volpe. His slumps are more like death spirals,” Sherman said. “He doesn’t just go 4-for-24 and bounce back; he endures weeks of looking completely lost. He’s in the middle of that again. I’d consider whether it would benefit Volpe to spend two weeks in Triple-A. Could we manage with [Oswald] Peraza and [Oswaldo] Cabrera in the meantime?
“When Volpe is struggling like this, our offense doesn’t suffer more by giving others a chance. Do we get enough defensively from that duo to platoon them for a bit, and then bring Volpe back? Anthony, go down there; get yourself sorted out. While I’m not sure I’d do it, I’d certainly have a meeting to discuss it and get input from my senior baseball staff,” he added.
However, Yankees fans hoping for this change shouldn’t get their hopes up. When Yankees general manager Brian Cashman was asked by Sherman about possibly demoting Volpe this week, it seems the idea hasn’t been seriously considered within the organization.
“We haven’t discussed it,” Cashman stated. “We have full confidence in him, and yes, his development continues at the major league level. There are growing pains when you give someone an early opportunity, which he earned, but he’s still finding his way.
“But he’s also by far our best player at that position, and you could argue he’s our best infielder overall.”
