The New York Yankees are finding creative ways to get rookie shortstop Anthony Volpe going at the plate.
After a scintillating start with stolen bases in his first three games, he went on a bit of a cold stretch at the plate and his numbers suffered.
He has been much better since the team moved him to the leadoff spot, and that’s what manager Aaron Boone intends to keep doing.
When the Yankees face the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night, it will be with Volpe at the leadoff spot again.
Aaron Boone says Anthony Volpe will be the leadoff hitter again tonight. DJ LeMahieu is also in the lineup
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) April 18, 2023
Volpe in the leadoff spot makes sense.
He has a .970 OPS as the first hitter in the order, and a .525 OPS as the ninth.
Of course, we are talking about tiny samples, but still, he has looked better in recent days hitting out of the leadoff position.
For the year, the struggling rookie has hit .191/.309/.319 with a home run and seven stolen bases.
His minor league performance and prospect pedigree suggest that he will be much, much better than that.
When all is said and done, Volpe has the talent and potential to hit 15-20 home runs and steal 40 bases with a suspect average, but a solid OBP.
He is also performing admirably on defense and is an upgrade in comparison to Isiah Kiner-Falefa, the Yankees shortstop in 2022.
If the Yankees are patient and let Volpe work through any struggles he has, they will be rewarded handsomely.
He is a special kid.
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