TAMPA, Fla — Coming into the 2026 season, the Yankees will be giving looks to someone new at shortstop. Jose Caballero, who joined the organization at the 2025 trade deadline, is projected to start on opening day. Anthony Volpe, the former first-round pick, will start the season on the IL after getting offseason surgery on a torn labrum in his shoulder.

Since his anticipated 2023 debut, Volpe has been under the microscope of Yankee fans. He has been underwhelming at the plate in his career, almost a complete nothing.

“I appreciate everything. I appreciate the accountability. I appreciate everything that comes with being the shortstop for the New York Yankees, so I wouldn’t trade it for the world.” Volpe said Tuesday.

Volpe himself grew up a Yankee fan from New Jersey. He knows what it means to represent the pinstripes. The problem lies in his poor performance to this point in his career. It’s less about Volpe not being a good player, and more blame on the organization for rushing his development to fill a hole on the roster they created.

Still, Volpe has taken accountability for his lack of performance at every turn thus far in his career.

“The chip I have on my shoulder has been there for my whole life, my whole career.” He said. “I just can’t wait to go back out there and play and feel good and perform and help the team win, because at the end of the day, if I do that and I play the way I know I can play, everything will take care of itself.”

Volpe would not set an official timeline for his return, but said a May return is not off the table.

For the first time since his injury, Volpe has been working out on the field and taking some dry swings in the cage.

The rehab from the injury could benefit Volpe. Many think that he should have been sent to AAA during his 2025 struggles after his dive against the Rays.

Volpe will most likely get rehab reps at AAA and could use that time to work on the difficulties with his swing.

It’s not a total given that the Yankees will just hand Volpe the shortstop job on a silver platter when he returns. If Caballero is performing at a high level and Volpe looks the same, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that he ends up back in AAA.

The Yankees need to do what is best for the team and winning. Caballero is the player the Yankees envied from Toronto, a scrappy contact-oriented defender who plays hard and annoys the other team. To this point in his career, Volpe has not been that. There is still time for Volpe to become a viable major leaguer, but time is quickly running out.

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