Sunday, the New York Yankees announced that top prospect Anthony Volpe will open the 2023 Major League Baseball season at the Major League level with the New York Yankees. Volpe is the no. 5 prospect in all of baseball, according to MLB.com.
Volpe is expected to begin the season as the Yankees' Opening Day shortstop. This decision comes just months after the Yankees passed on the opportunity to pursue a star shortstop on the free agent market for the second straight year. As Carlos Correa, Xander Bogaerts, Trea Turner and Dansby Swanson all received long-term contracts with new teams over the winter, the Yankees sat on the sidelines, patiently awaiting the arrival of a promising 21-year-old who they hope will blossom into a star.
Volpe, after an impressive showing at spring training, earned the right to open the season with the Yankees' big league club, and he hopes to never look back. Volpe is expected to start at shortstop, with Isiah Kiner-Falefa moving to a reserve role to backup the youngster.
The Yankees will not be opening the season at full-strength, with injuries putting Harrison Bader, Frankie Montas, Carlos Rodon and Pedro Severino on the shelf. With Bader out of the Yankees' lineup, Aaron Hicks is the most experienced option the Yankees have to fill-in for him in center field.
The Yankees have named Gerrit Cole their Opening Day starting pitcher.
Here's a look at our projected starting lineup for the Yankees' Opening Day game against the San Francisco Giants:
C Jose Trevino .248/.283/.671
1B Anthony Rizzo .224/.338/.818
2B Gleyber Torres .257/.310/.761
3B Josh Donaldson .222/.308/.682
SS Anthony Volpe (Rookie)
LF Oswaldo Cabrera .247/.312/.740
CF Aaron Hicks .216/.313/.642
RF Aaron Judge .311/.425/1.111
DH Giancarlo Stanton .211/.297/.759
UTILITY: DJ LeMahieu .266/.346/.735
SP Gerrit Cole: 13-8, 3.50 ERA, 33 starts, 200.2 IP, 1.02 WHIP, 5.14 SO/W, 111 ERA+
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