Anthony Volpe started the season strong, showcasing his potential as a former top prospect with a career-best 34-game on-base streak while the Yankees led the league. However, as the season progressed to the All-Star break, Volpe’s form declined. Manager Aaron Boone acknowledged on “Talkin’ Yanks” that Volpe, like the team as a whole, needs to reset his approach at the plate.
“He’s still developing and working through some challenges to find consistency,” Boone remarked. “It’s a tough game… Hopefully, in the second half, the adjustments he’s making start to click, and we see a more complete hitter emerge. But it’s a process.”
Since June 6, Volpe has struggled with a .171 batting average, .203 on-base percentage, and .230 slugging percentage, accompanied by a 22 wRC+. His season OPS dropped from .803 to .666, with strikeouts becoming more frequent and no home runs since May 16. During this period, the Yankees’ record fell to 13-21, slipping to second place in the division.
Earlier in the season, Volpe showed promise with a 130 wRC+, ranking third on the team behind Aaron Judge and Juan Soto, a notable improvement from his rookie year’s 84 wRC+.
Volpe, once ranked as the league’s No. 5 prospect by MLB Pipeline in 2023, won a Gold Glove at shortstop in his debut season. Fans anticipated a breakout akin to other top shortstop prospects in their second seasons, such as Bobby Witt Jr. and Gunnar Henderson, who both finished in the top 10 in MVP voting.
“I believe he has the potential to become an above-average offensive player,” Boone added. “He’s navigating the challenges of being a 22-year-old in the league, showing flashes of his offensive talent. Last year, he had his highs and lows, and he’s shown the ability to make adjustments. We saw glimpses of that improvement in the first half, but he’s currently working through some setbacks.”