
For decades, the New York Yankees could always count on Derek Jeter to lead the way.
Whether it was with his defense or his timely offense, No. 2 became much more than a legend in the Bronx.
That's why expectations were so high about Anthony Volpe, a homegrown talent who was often deemed his successor at the team's most iconic position.
So far, Volpe has failed to live up to the hype, but he continues to have full organizational support despite his well-documented struggles.
Considering that, Jeter finally shared his honest thoughts on the Yankees' new shortstop, talking to sportscaster Adam Schein and wishing he would finally figure things out.
“I think as a young player, it’s obvious the Yankees have made a commitment to Anthony, right. They’re committed to him. But they’re not also committed to him being the shortstop. They’re committed to allowing him to continue developing at the major league level,” the Hall of Famer said.
Volpe has been one of the most criticized and scrutinized players on the team for the past couple of seasons.
Jeter understands why fans might be frustrated, but given that the team is still fully committed to him, he can only hope this is nothing but a bump on the road for him:
“At times, fans get frustrated watching that, but every player goes through it. Every player has gone through bumps in the road. Most of the time, those bumps happen in the minor leagues,” Jeter continued. “The Yankees are very high on Anthony. I don’t personally know him that well, but they’re banking on his upside. Hopefully he can put it together here. It’s tough, though. It’s tough to go through growing pains at the major league level.”
"They're also not only committed to him being the shortstop, but they're committed to allowing him to further develop at the Major League level."
— Mad Dog Sports Radio (@MadDogRadio) July 14, 2026
Derek Jeter tells @AdamSchein the Yankees are banking on the upside with Anthony Volpe ⤵️⤵️⤵️ pic.twitter.com/7t9KYDZhfn
Volpe started the season on the injured list, with Jose Caballero handling shortstop duties more than well. Now, he's slashing .246/.326/.668 with one home run and 13 RBIs, and he's on pace to post the worst numbers of his career.
Volpe's also been a liability on defense, and as much as Aaron Boone and the Yankees still believe in him, it's hard to give the fans reasons for hope after watching him regress instead of develop with every season.
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