The New York Yankees may be ready to turn to a player who is barely even old enough to legally drink.
The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty reported on Friday that Yankees phenom Anthony Volpe is receiving support from “high-level voices” in his bid to win the team’s starting shortstop job for Opening Day. Kuty notes that the 21-year-old Volpe has put himself in a stronger position than many had expected coming into spring training.
Volpe was a first-round pick (No. 30 overall) by the Yankees in the 2019 MLB Draft. A non-roster invite to spring training this year, the young infielder has been absolutely smoking it in exhibition play. Volpe whacked his third home run of the tune-up season in Friday's Grapefruit League loss to the Minnesota Twins.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa received 142 starts at shortstop for the Yankees last season but largely underwhelmed on offense. Oswald Peraza is another option at shortstop. But Volpe's upside may well have played into the Yankees' decision not to pursue a couple of star free agent shortstops this offseason and his play this spring has backed up some of that hype.
Sarah Langs of MLB.com, meanwhile, has shared that Volpe, should he win the Opening Day start at shortstop, would be the youngest Yankee to do so since none other than Derek Jeter in 1996.
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