Michael Kay’s Anthony Volpe story will get Yankees fans amped for Opening Day

While many of us are penciling in Oswald Peraza as the New York Yankees starting shortstop when Opening Day rolls around in 2023, perhaps, for once, we’re underestimating the organization’s aggression.

According to offseason buzz, top prospect Anthony Volpe will have a shot to earn the job out of spring training after just 22 games at Triple-A. The 21-year-old dominated at Double-A and then went on a tear upon his arrival at Scranton.

This falls in line with what fans have been calling for since midway through the 2022 season, while Volpe was lighting it up. If the Yankees truly believe he’s the shortstop of the future, then what’s the wait? Call the kid up now, since there’s no discernible skillset he needs to refine at the lower levels.

He’s a five-tool player. Sure, he’s got some strikeout issues, but the kid can hit for average, get on base, slug homers (50 in 275 games) and swipe bags (89 in 275 games). He excelled at High-A and Double-A. Do we really need to see him conquer Triple-A in the middle of Pennsylvania?

The answer is … not really! And after we learned how excited Volpe was to learn from general manager Brian Cashman that he could be the Yankees’ Opening Day starting shortstop, fans are going to be pulling for this narrative to unfold. (Start the clip at the 1:00 mark.)

Anthony Volpe was thrilled to learn he has a shot to be the Yankees’ Opening Day starter at SS

Volpe, after a 132-game season, which was the longest of his professional career, was set to rest up and have his body recuperate at the beginning of the offseason … until he got that call from Cashman.

“I wouldn’t bet against Anthony Volpe at this point,” Michael Kay said, as he finished the anecdote. The kid’s disobeying his father to follow his dreams. That’s what we call dedication!

There couldn’t be a clearer path for the former first-round pick, either. While Peraza looked good in his brief time there at the tail end of 2022, he’s hardly a lock for the job come Opening Day. And there’s no way Isiah Kiner-Falefa will be seriously considered, unless something drastic happens.

That means Volpe will be mano a mano with Peraza come spring training, with the consolation prize either being the starting second base job or “first guy off the bench” status.

May the best man win. If Peraza’s waking up at 5:30 a.m. every day, too, then we should be in for a hell of a battle.

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