NY Yankees top prospect

Top prospect Anthony Volpe will start at shortstop for the New York Yankees after an undisputed performance in spring training catapulted him to the coveted position, the team announced Sunday.

Volpe, 21, will travel back to the Bronx on Wednesday and join the starting lineup Thursday against the San Francisco Giants after a spring in which he batted .314/.417/.647 with three home runs and 10 extra-base hits in 17 games.

Manager Aaron Boone informed him of the decision Sunday afternoon.

The No. 3 overall prospect in MLB, according to ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel, Volpe joined the Yankees from Delbarton School in Morristown, N.J., as the 30th pick in the 2019 draft. In his first full season, 2021, Volpe established himself as one of baseball’s top prospects, and followed it up with a standout finish in 2022 at Triple-A.

In 275 minor league games, Volpe batted .263/.376/.505 with 50 home runs and 89 stolen bases.

Still, he was not the favorite in spring training, and Oswald Peraza, another top shortstop, was expected to take the spot. While Peraza struggled, Volpe thrived and received the support of his teammates, enamored not only with his talent, but also his maturity.

Volpe will be the youngest Yankees shortstop since Derek Jeter debuted at age 20 in 1995, and only the second homegrown shortstop since Jeter’s retirement in 2014, along with Gleyber Torres.