Yankees top rookie's snub from MLB's future star draft makes sense, still hurts

Everyone seems to agree that there's stardom within Yankees rookie Anthony Volpe.

Everyone also seems to agree that, at this point, something's gone wrong with Volpe's swing and approach.

Send him to the minors? Well, we can't get any sort of consensus on that, actually. Scouts who love Volpe believe he could benefit from some adjustment time out of the spotlight. One who Jon Heyman spoke to said Volpe's hips are opening up, causing him to suddenly swing uphill. That same scout said Volpe's easy whiff against Kenley Jansen this weekend made him want to "throw the phone" at the TV.

"He shouldn’t be among the league leaders in strikeouts," the scout said matter-of-factly. Yes! Agreed! So ... what went wrong? And is there still a future there left to be uncovered?

With so much work still to be done to get the Yankees' hometown hero where he needs to be (and, as Heyman reminds us, the oft-comped Dustin Pedroia was way worse in his first MLB stint), it's no surprise that MLB.com's panel of experts found seven other rookies to select in their "Franchise Cornerstone" draft this week, leaving Volpe unselected.

It's no surprise, but it still stings.

Yankees rookie Anthony Volpe's future fading, per MLB.com's experts?

We just ... want to find "The Guy." Is that so wrong? Wanting to develop a fourth competent MLB position player over the past 15 years (Brett Gardner, Aaron Judge, Gleyber Torres if you want, not exaggerating)?

The most unfortunate part of Volpe's in-season slide is that his April was perfectly competent. His May and June, despite a few clutch homers, have been much less acceptable. Instead of building on early momentum, though, he's somehow become all-or-nothing, rarely walking anymore. Remember how nasty he used to be shooting the ball to right with the bases loaded? A month and a half ago? Where is that?!

MLB's panel of experts, at the moment, prefers the long-term outlooks of (in order) Corbin Carroll, Gunnar Henderson, Elly De La Cruz, Jordan Walker, Brett Baty, Eury Pérez and Bobby Miller. Other than maybe Baty, hearing prospect experts pick any of those names over Volpe wouldn't have been stunning before Opening Day.

Still, it's a reflection of the current consensus. Hey, remember when Walker was demoted, then emerged a more energized player just a few weeks back? Hmm. Just remembering that for no reason.