To say that Anthony Volpe’s MLB career to this point has been a disappointment would be an understatement. He has certainly had his moments, but a first-round pick producing an 85 wRC+ in parts of four campaigns is definitely not what you want, 2023 Gold Glove notwithstanding. Having said that, it’s impossible to deny that the kid is a hard worker and seems determined to make it work at the highest level.
After the Yankees promoted George Lombard Jr. immediately following the Trade Deadline, Volpe was sent to the minor leagues. He didn’t use the time to play around or publicly complain about fate and harsh roster decisions. No, he used it to train, work, and try to become the best version of himself he could be.
Volpe made adjustments at the plate, increased his focus, and started to perform and put up numbers in Scranton. From August 7th to September 7th—exactly a month’s worth of stats—he hit .284/.381/.642 with a 1.023 OPS, a 159 wRC+, 10 home runs, seven doubles, and eight steals as well. Additionally, he worked in other infield positions other than shortstop, increasing his versatility by spending the bulk of his time at the keystone, plus a few games at the hot corner.
Of course, Volpe has raked in the minor leagues before; that’s part of what excited Yankees fans about him in the first place, especially in 2022. The challenge will be doing it in the majors, but he got off to a solid start with a 3-for-4 performance on Thursday against the Rockies as a second baseman filling in for the injured Jazz Chisholm Jr. One of those hits was a grand slam to the Short Porch, and on the night, he drove in five while stealing a base.
Nobody rational is losing their minds over one game, but there are some changes he implemented in his batting stance and timing mechanism that are worth discussing. A Twitter user named Victor posted a video comparing Volpe’s stance earlier in 2026 and one from Thursday’s game, and the difference is quite clear.
The swing seems much more explosive. Obviously, being healthy after offseason labrum surgery helps, but the infielder seems to have incorporated a step-back move to fully load and then unleash his power on pitches. The swing path also looks different, in this lone example, at least. Well, for a day, at least, it all worked, but his Triple-A performance this past month can’t be completely ignored, either.
Since they have a pressing need at second with Chisholm out and he only made three appearances at the hot corner in the minors, Volpe is expected to be used almost exclusively at the keystone in the short-term, although it’s nice to know he could be an emergency option across the infield if something comes up. All things considered, the former Gold Glover does have some exciting potential to help the Yankees in the next week or two. He just has to take advantage of his opportunity.
Although it almost feels as though Volpe has been around forever, the man is still just 25 years old. Fate and his own hard work have given him a chance to put himself on the map again—especially as the Yankees enter an offseason where Chisholm may depart in free agency. It’s likely to be a brief window in terms of immediate 2026 impact, so he needs to show something.
Whatever happens with Volpe when Chisholm returns is anyone’s guess, because the latter is expected to slide back to his starting role once he’s deemed healthy enough to play. For the former, however, it all starts with making a good impression in the handful of MLB games he will be given in the next couple weeks, and we aren’t talking exclusively about stats: how his swing looks, how he fares in adversity, how he looks with the glove, and his level of intensity and focus will all be evaluated. It’s one thing to have a big game with the cellar-dwelling Rockies in town; it’s quite another to do so against tougher foes, especially if he remains a factor for the Rays series from September 22-24 (though Chisholm could be back by then).
Volpe has a brief but meaningful chance in front of him, regardless of whether or not it results in a spot on the postseason roster, or if there’s a potential impact on 2027 plans. Those are discussions for another time. The here and now is all that matters for Volpe.
