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A little over three years ago, Anthony Volpe was the one in this position.
It was Opening Day of the 2023 season, and all eyes were on Volpe, then the Yankees’ 21-year-old top prospect, as he started at shortstop in his MLB debut.
Fast forward to Tuesday night’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals in the Bronx, and George Lombard Jr. fit that exact same bill: age 21, the Yankees’ top prospect, starting at shortstop in his MLB debut.
To make room on the roster for Lombard and outfielder Heliot Ramos — acquired Monday in a pre-deadline trade with the San Francisco Giants — the Yankees optioned Volpe and another recent top prospect, Jasson Domínguez, to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
The Yankees are set to roll with Lombard at shortstop for the foreseeable future — which, if he lives up to the sky-high hype, could mean years to come. Ramos, 26, is expected to play at least semi-regularly, too, as a right-handed power bat who provides depth in both corner outfield spots.
Naturally, their arrivals invite questions about how Volpe and Domínguez fit into the Yankees’ long-term plans.
“Two people that we love and think highly of and think still have very bright big-league careers ahead of them,” manager Aaron Boone said Tuesday of Volpe and Domínguez.
“I kind of shared some of my experience with them. I got to the big leagues and had to go back. Those can be humbling and challenging times, but they can also be part of helping you become a more refined and better player.”
Volpe, 25, was the Yankees’ primary shortstop from 2023-25, but this is the second time he’s been optioned to Triple-A this year.
After undergoing offseason shoulder surgery, Volpe began a rehab assignment in mid-April, then remained at Triple-A once his rehab clock expired. He returned to the majors in mid-May, but he split time at shortstop with utilityman José Caballero, who had received the bulk of the playing time there of late.
Volpe batted .246 with one home run and a .646 OPS in 56 games with the Yankees this year. Over parts of four big-league seasons Volpe has batted .224 with 53 homers, a .660 OPS and 77 stolen bases.
In the majors, Volpe has never appeared at a position other than shortstop. Boone said Tuesday that Volpe would see time at both shortstop and second base at Triple-A, which would increase his versatility.
“Hopefully that’s something that serves him well and us well moving forward, potentially in the short-term, but in the long-term as well,” Boone said.
Barring an injury, the Yankees’ infield appears set for the time being, with Lombard at shortstop, Jazz Chisholm Jr. at second base and Ryan McMahon at third.
Ben Rice, Luis García Jr. and Paul Goldschmidt are all part of the mix at first base, while Caballero and Amed Rosario provide multi-positional depth.
Looking ahead to next season, there is far less clarity.
Chisholm is an impending free agent, and if he doesn’t return, the Yankees would have a void at second base. García, 26, remains under team control and has considerable experience at the position, but he graded poorly there before moving to first base, where he has rated better.
The Yankees’ No. 2 prospect, 19-year-old shortstop Dax Kilby, is currently at Single-A Tampa and likely won’t be ready for the majors until 2028 at the earliest.
There’s also no guarantee Lombard — whose defense is ahead of his offense — will click right away at the MLB level.
That means opportunities in the Yankees’ middle infield could reopen in the not-so-distant future.
The path is less clear for Domínguez, a switch-hitter whose out-of-this-world skill set earned him the nickname “The Martian” as a prospect.
While injuries have hampered Domínguez’s development, he’s still demonstrated flashes of his potential — more so as a left-handed hitter than from the right side — since his MLB debut in 2023.
Still, Domínguez batted just .230 with six home runs and a .650 OPS in 53 games this season. He hit .257 with 10 homers and a .719 OPS last year, largely as the Yankees’ primary left fielder.
Defensively, Domínguez has been prone to miscues in both corner outfield spots, and the Yankees have not deployed him in center field — his natural position — since 2024.
When at full health, the Yankees’ outfield appears crowded for years to come, even if center fielder Trent Grisham departs via free agency this winter.
Aaron Judge is entrenched in right field, while left fielder Cody Bellinger — a defensive standout — is signed through 2030, though he could opt out after next season.
Ramos, a 2024 All-Star with back-to-back 20-homer seasons, remains under team control through 2029. Ramos’ right-handed bat is superior to Domínguez’s, so he has a leg up for the platoon role against left-handed pitching.
Lefty-swinging Spencer Jones, meanwhile, is a superior defender to Domínguez and, despite his strikeout issues, has been hitting well of late. The Yankees opted to keep the 25-year-old Jones, who can play center field, in the majors when they demoted Domínguez.
That’s not to say Domínguez won’t get another chance with the Yankees. Current injuries to Judge, Bellinger and designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton have demonstrated the need for quality depth.
But Domínguez and Volpe are not currently part of the Yankees’ present. Time will tell how they fit into the future.
“I expect them to both have really strong, long careers,” Boone said. “This will be part of their story and hopefully things that help them get to another level.”
Continue reading...
It was Opening Day of the 2023 season, and all eyes were on Volpe, then the Yankees’ 21-year-old top prospect, as he started at shortstop in his MLB debut.
Fast forward to Tuesday night’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals in the Bronx, and George Lombard Jr. fit that exact same bill: age 21, the Yankees’ top prospect, starting at shortstop in his MLB debut.
To make room on the roster for Lombard and outfielder Heliot Ramos — acquired Monday in a pre-deadline trade with the San Francisco Giants — the Yankees optioned Volpe and another recent top prospect, Jasson Domínguez, to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
The Yankees are set to roll with Lombard at shortstop for the foreseeable future — which, if he lives up to the sky-high hype, could mean years to come. Ramos, 26, is expected to play at least semi-regularly, too, as a right-handed power bat who provides depth in both corner outfield spots.
Naturally, their arrivals invite questions about how Volpe and Domínguez fit into the Yankees’ long-term plans.
“Two people that we love and think highly of and think still have very bright big-league careers ahead of them,” manager Aaron Boone said Tuesday of Volpe and Domínguez.
“I kind of shared some of my experience with them. I got to the big leagues and had to go back. Those can be humbling and challenging times, but they can also be part of helping you become a more refined and better player.”
Volpe, 25, was the Yankees’ primary shortstop from 2023-25, but this is the second time he’s been optioned to Triple-A this year.
After undergoing offseason shoulder surgery, Volpe began a rehab assignment in mid-April, then remained at Triple-A once his rehab clock expired. He returned to the majors in mid-May, but he split time at shortstop with utilityman José Caballero, who had received the bulk of the playing time there of late.
Volpe batted .246 with one home run and a .646 OPS in 56 games with the Yankees this year. Over parts of four big-league seasons Volpe has batted .224 with 53 homers, a .660 OPS and 77 stolen bases.
In the majors, Volpe has never appeared at a position other than shortstop. Boone said Tuesday that Volpe would see time at both shortstop and second base at Triple-A, which would increase his versatility.
“Hopefully that’s something that serves him well and us well moving forward, potentially in the short-term, but in the long-term as well,” Boone said.
Barring an injury, the Yankees’ infield appears set for the time being, with Lombard at shortstop, Jazz Chisholm Jr. at second base and Ryan McMahon at third.
Ben Rice, Luis García Jr. and Paul Goldschmidt are all part of the mix at first base, while Caballero and Amed Rosario provide multi-positional depth.
Looking ahead to next season, there is far less clarity.
Chisholm is an impending free agent, and if he doesn’t return, the Yankees would have a void at second base. García, 26, remains under team control and has considerable experience at the position, but he graded poorly there before moving to first base, where he has rated better.
The Yankees’ No. 2 prospect, 19-year-old shortstop Dax Kilby, is currently at Single-A Tampa and likely won’t be ready for the majors until 2028 at the earliest.
There’s also no guarantee Lombard — whose defense is ahead of his offense — will click right away at the MLB level.
That means opportunities in the Yankees’ middle infield could reopen in the not-so-distant future.
The path is less clear for Domínguez, a switch-hitter whose out-of-this-world skill set earned him the nickname “The Martian” as a prospect.
While injuries have hampered Domínguez’s development, he’s still demonstrated flashes of his potential — more so as a left-handed hitter than from the right side — since his MLB debut in 2023.
Still, Domínguez batted just .230 with six home runs and a .650 OPS in 53 games this season. He hit .257 with 10 homers and a .719 OPS last year, largely as the Yankees’ primary left fielder.
Defensively, Domínguez has been prone to miscues in both corner outfield spots, and the Yankees have not deployed him in center field — his natural position — since 2024.
When at full health, the Yankees’ outfield appears crowded for years to come, even if center fielder Trent Grisham departs via free agency this winter.
Aaron Judge is entrenched in right field, while left fielder Cody Bellinger — a defensive standout — is signed through 2030, though he could opt out after next season.
Ramos, a 2024 All-Star with back-to-back 20-homer seasons, remains under team control through 2029. Ramos’ right-handed bat is superior to Domínguez’s, so he has a leg up for the platoon role against left-handed pitching.
Lefty-swinging Spencer Jones, meanwhile, is a superior defender to Domínguez and, despite his strikeout issues, has been hitting well of late. The Yankees opted to keep the 25-year-old Jones, who can play center field, in the majors when they demoted Domínguez.
That’s not to say Domínguez won’t get another chance with the Yankees. Current injuries to Judge, Bellinger and designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton have demonstrated the need for quality depth.
But Domínguez and Volpe are not currently part of the Yankees’ present. Time will tell how they fit into the future.
“I expect them to both have really strong, long careers,” Boone said. “This will be part of their story and hopefully things that help them get to another level.”
Continue reading...
