New York Yankees promising farm system product Anthony Volpe was unexpectedly promoted last year as an everyday shortstop with just 20 Triple-A games experience. While Volpe has a positive start to the season with 20/20, he derailed mid-season due to a grueling 162-game stretch.
However, in the sophomore season, Anthony Volpe was expected to perform better with the significant rookie season learnings. Unfortunately, Volpe fell short of expectations, and his recent drastic decline has made fans believe that the future superstar is, in fact, a liability, and perhaps the Yanks need to rethink the shortstop solution.
Anthony Volpe’s wRC Drops To All-Time Low
The New York Yankees have long been synonymous with fielding some of the best players in baseball. However, their once-promising shortstop, Anthony Volpe, who was hailed as the future face of the franchise, is now raising concerns among fans and analysts alike due to his recent struggles. Volpe, a first-round pick in 2019, entered the 2024 season with high expectations after a decent rookie year. Touted as the next great Yankee shortstop following the likes of Derek Jeter, his talent and work ethic were never in question. However, his transition to the majors has been rocky, making him appear more of a liability than the star the Yankees had hoped for. In the first 15 games this year, he was hitting .382/.477/.564 with two home runs and five stolen bases.
However, since June 1, Anthony Volpe’s wRC+ has dropped to fourth worst in MLB. His slash line during this period stayed at .223/.255/.330, with just five home runs in 90 games and 385 plate appearances. While he has contributed on basepaths with 26 steals, his offensive metrics have not been close to satisfactory. Moreover, the Yankees, currently in the postseason lurch, have faced numerous offensive struggles, and Volpe’s inconsistency has exacerbated their woes. Despite the promise of his talent, his struggles are reflective of the broader issues plaguing the team. Many are beginning to wonder if the Bronx Bombers rushed his development, as his performance doesn’t match the hype that surrounded his major league debut. However, the front office remains committed to Anthony Volpe in the short term, believing his raw talent can still be harnessed and developed. But for now, Volpe’s future in pinstripes hangs in the balance.
Yankees Captain Aaron Judge Scripts Unique WAR History
New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge has a phenomenal 2024 season, which places him as a leading contender in the AL-MVP list. He currently boasts a .321 batting average and leads all of MLB in several key categories, including 53 home runs, 132 RBIs, 122 walks, a .455 on-base percentage, and a .692 slugging percentage.
As for his overall value, Baseball Reference gives him a 9.7 WAR, while FanGraphs’ model lists him at 10.0 WAR through 148 games. This achievement places Judge in an elite company. Judge’s 2024 season is one of just 10 individual 10.0-fWAR seasons by a batter in the Wild Card era, dating back to 1994. Only Judge, Mookie Betts, and Mike Trout have reached this milestone in the last 20 seasons.
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