The New York Yankees have determined the winner of the shortstop position battle this spring, and it is none other than No. 1 prospect Anthony Volpe.
Volpe had a tremendous spring training, hitting .314 with a .417 OBP and 1.064 OPS. He logged 16 hits, three homers, five RBIs, and stole five bases across 51 at-bats.
Entering spring training, Volpe was a longshot even to make the roster, given his tiny sample size of action at the Triple-A level. Still, he played his way into a starting spot and ultimately got Oswald Peraza demoted back to the minor-league system.
The Yankees saw Oswald Peraza’s maturity after conceding the battle:
However, Peraza took the result in stride, going as far as to congratulate Volpe and attest to the quality he brings.
“When you look at the results that (Volpe) has gotten … really, really good results,” Peraza said. “Everybody has seen it. He has a bright future ahead of him. I can see it. Everybody can see it.”
Peraza struggled in his own right, hitting .190 with a .306 OBP and .616 OPS over 42 at-bats. He didn’t elevate his game and showcase the offensive quality the Yankees needed to see from their starting shortstop, but that doesn’t mean he should be entirely left out of their plans.
Even if the Bombers end up trading him to acquire more starting pitching support, his value won’t go to waste, but there is certainly a lot to be excited about regarding his potential.
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