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The Yankees are playing with fire with Anthony Volpe in 2026
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- The Yankees are playing with fire with Anthony Volpe in 2026
Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
The Yankees are heading into the 2026 campaign with a clear plan at shortstop: stick with Anthony Volpe . Despite undergoing surgery for a partially torn labrum in his throwing shoulder that will likely cost him the first few weeks of the regular season, the organization has decided not to seek an external replacement.
General Manager Brian Cashman has a laundry list of roster holes to address this winter, and creating another vacancy at a premium position would only require diverting precious resources. However, by committing to the 24-year-old for another year, the Yankees are ignoring an avalanche of data suggesting they are relying on one of the least productive everyday players in baseball.
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An Offensive Profile That Has Never Been Average
The Yankees' hope for Volpe depends on the belief that there is untapped potential in his bat, but his track record suggests otherwise. He has never been an average major league hitter; his career-best wRC+ was an uninspiring 87 back in 2024. But 2025 was not just another below-average season; it was an offensive catastrophe.
Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
According to advanced metrics, Volpe's underlying profile cratered to abysmal levels last season. His Batting Run Value ranked in the 3rd percentile, meaning 97% of the league was more productive at the plate. This wasn't bad luck; his Expected Batting Average (xBA) also sat in the 10th percentile, while his Expected Slugging Percentage (xSLG) resided in the 39th percentile.
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Volpe simply does not impact the baseball. His Hard-Hit rate sat in the 43rd percentile in 2025, which wasactually up quite a bit but still below average. Selling out for power has resulted in massive statistical swings in the past.
Furthermore, his plate discipline regressed, with his Chase percentage falling from above-average in 2024 down to the 45th percentile. While he remains an elite baserunner—ranking in the 97th percentile for Baserunning Run Value—that skill is entirely neutralized by his inability to get on base.
From Gold Glove to Defensive Liability
The Yankees could live with a light bat if Volpe was providing the elite defense he showcased during his rookie campaign. In 2023, Volpe won a Gold Glove, ranking in the 69th percentile for Range (Outs Above Average) and the 54th percentile for overall Fielding Run Value.
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However, 2025 saw a shocking regression that turned a strength into a massive weakness. It is highly likely that the labrum injury played a significant role, as his defensive metrics fell off a cliff. His Range plummeted to the 8th percentile, and his Arm Value sank to the 33rd percentile, making him statistically one of the worst defensive shortstops in the sport last season.
The Yankees are banking heavily on the surgery restoring his defensive prowess. Yet, rolling into 2026 expecting him to not only fully recover his Gold Glove form but also suddenly develop an average offensive game for the first time in his career is a massive gamble for a team with championship aspirations. They have all the data to justify moving on, but for now, they are choosing to hope the numbers lie.
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