Expectations were sky-high when the New York Yankees drafted shortstop Anthony Volpe in the first round of the 2019 MLB Draft.
Volpe made his MLB debut in 2023 at age 22 and quickly earned recognition by winning the American League Gold Glove at shortstop. However, as he enters his third season, many fans remain underwhelmed by his offensive output.
He owns a career OPS of .673 and hit only 12 home runs over 160 games last season, a drop from the 21 homers he posted the year before. This season, pitchers have exploited a weakness by challenging him with high fastballs, which he has had trouble handling, often swinging and missing.
While many in the media and fanbase believe it’s still too early to consider moving on from Volpe, some argue the Yankees should explore trade options.
Change of Scenery for Volpe
Anthony Volpe, a lifelong Yankees fan from Watchung, New Jersey, would likely be devastated if traded away from the team he grew up rooting for. However, a fresh start elsewhere could potentially help him develop into the star the Yankees once envisioned.
Offensively, Volpe hasn’t come close to matching the production of peers like Bobby Witt Jr. or Gunnar Henderson, though that hasn’t significantly hindered him within New York’s otherwise strong lineup. Despite his underwhelming numbers, Jake Elman of Athlon Sports suggests that Volpe could still bring back a valuable return in a trade, particularly because he’s under team control until 2029.
“The Yankees have stuck by Volpe throughout his struggles, from missed opportunities at the plate to inconsistent fielding,” Elman wrote. “But if the Yankees ever considered moving in another direction, they’d be wise to call the Atlanta Braves about a potential Volpe-Ozzie Albies swap.”
Elman did clarify that there’s been no indication of actual talks or rumors between the Yankees and Braves regarding such a deal.
How Could Albies Fit Defensively With the Yankees?
If the Yankees were to pursue a trade for Ozzie Albies, it would raise significant questions about who would take over at shortstop. Albies has played exclusively at second base throughout his nine-year MLB career. With Oswaldo Cabrera sidelined due to a fractured ankle suffered on a sacrifice fly, the Yankees are short on versatile infield options.
Jake Elman of Athlon Sports noted that acquiring Albies could potentially shift Jazz Chisholm Jr. back to third base. Chisholm, originally a second baseman, moved to third after joining the Yankees last summer. While he last played shortstop in 2021 with the Marlins, it’s unclear if he’d be as effective there now, given his natural fit at second.
Another candidate to fill the shortstop role would be Oswald Peraza, though using him there would likely force DJ LeMahieu and rookie Jorbit Vivas into more regular action at third—hardly ideal given LeMahieu’s age and Vivas’ inexperience.
Moving Volpe could also accelerate the timeline for top prospect George Lombard Jr., currently ranked No. 1 in the Yankees’ farm system by MLB Pipeline. Elman highlighted this possibility:
“Trading Volpe also opens the door for top prospect George Lombard Jr. to take the reins at shortstop as early as next year,” he wrote. “That’s excellent news for Yankees fans, even as Lombard struggled to a 6-for-33 start at Double-A Somerset.”
On the flip side, Albies—though still just 28 and only two years removed from a 5.0 WAR, 33-homer season—has underwhelmed this year. His 73 OPS+ and 26.3% hard-hit rate (well below the league average) raise concerns about his current form.
Unless Albies turns things around offensively, the Yankees might be reluctant to consider the kind of deal Elman proposed.
