Kevin Reese, the Yankees’ newly promoted vice chairman of participant growth, turned the newest workforce official to reward prime prospect Anthony Volpe — and he completed it off by saying the 20-year-old shortstop will “hopefully make an affect within the massive leagues quickly.”
Simply when “quickly” will probably be stays to be seen, and the Yankees may have quite a bit using on it, contemplating the danger they'd be taking by not signing a prime free-agent shortstop this offseason.
Outdoors of the group, Volpe’s arrival in The Bronx just isn't anticipated earlier than 2023.
Internally, although, the Yankees haven’t put a ceiling on how excessive Volpe may go this season, sources say. Their different extremely regarded shortstop prospect, Oswald Peraza, is on the radar as nicely.
Based on some scouts, not solely has Volpe developed into the Yankees’ prime prospect, but additionally, if he continues to enhance on the fee he confirmed in 2021, he may very well be the most effective prospect within the sport by the tip of the upcoming season.
The Yankees even have been impressed by Peraza, who completed final season with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Although the Yankees are obsessed with the way forward for each gamers, their progress gained’t essentially assist obtain the franchise’s objective of successful a World Collection in 2022.
Regardless of the strides Volpe took in his first full skilled season following his choice within the first spherical (twenty ninth general) of the 2019 beginner draft, a battle with mononucleosis that sidelined him in that first professional season and the following cancellation of the 2020 minor league season as a consequence of COVID-19 has meant the 20-year-old nonetheless hasn’t performed above Excessive-A.
As Reese mentioned Wednesday, Volpe is anticipated to start this season at Double-A Somerset.
“When you’re at Double-A, something is feasible,” one official mentioned. “There’s no time-frame on him.”
“I like the man,’’ mentioned one AL scout who noticed Volpe play at each Low-A Tampa and Excessive-A Hudson Valley final season. “Everybody loves the man. However to assume he has a practical probability of seeing the majors [in 2022], I believe that’s a stretch.”
A half dozen different scouts agreed. They're desirous to see what Volpe can do, however extremely skeptical the Yankees would promote him to the majors this 12 months, no matter how a lot he reveals.
“You don’t wish to rush somebody like that,’’ one other NL scout mentioned of Volpe. “You need to let him develop at his tempo. He’s proven a capability to regulate to new ranges in a short time, however you don’t wish to take an opportunity of risking all that since you desire a fast repair on the main league stage.”
That’s the place the Yankees at the moment are — and have been since common supervisor Brian Cashman mentioned following the season they want a brand new shortstop after the failed Gleyber Torres experiment.
Cashman used the phrase “urgency” to describe the Yankees’ pursuit of an improve at shortstop, after Torres was lastly changed by Gio Urshela within the latter a part of the season. Torres performed higher on either side of the ball after being shifted to second base.
With a free-agent class that included Carlos Correa, Corey Seager, Javier Baez, Marcus Semien and Trevor Story, the Yankees appeared to be in prime place so as to add one other star this offseason.
However previous to the MLB lockout in early December, the Yankees sat on the sidelines — not simply within the shortstop market, however in all of free company.
Nonetheless, because of the truth there may be an apparent want on the place and loads of expertise out there, the group’s lack of exercise at shortstop was notable.
Cashman and supervisor Aaron Boone acknowledged the presence of Volpe and Peraza performed a job in how they approached the offseason.
Requested in November if he thought-about the way forward for Volpe and Peraza whereas looking for a brand new shortstop, Cashman mentioned: “You need to. You understand you might have some guys who're on the come that you just assume extremely of. … You at all times wish to maintain on to the most effective of the most effective when you can.”
“No query that elements in, as a result of we do really feel in Peraza and Volpe we do have two longtime affect massive league gamers,’’ Boone mentioned. “We’re enthusiastic about these gamers and consider they're actual.”
Peraza, 21, shot up from Excessive-A Hudson Valley to Triple-A final season.
His glove has at all times been spectacular, and other people inside and outside of the Yankees group are assured his protection is main league caliber proper now.
On offense, Peraza confirmed energy for the primary time as a professional final season, ending with 18 homers throughout three ranges.
He'll enter the season, nonetheless, with simply eight video games performed on the Triple-A stage.
May the Yankees use Urshela at shortstop within the hope Peraza will probably be prepared within the second half of the common season — offered the season goes off near on time after the lockout ends?
“I wouldn’t wish to take that probability, both,’’ the AL scout mentioned. “Peraza hit higher than I believed he would final 12 months, however he’s nonetheless not far faraway from Excessive-A. And I believe we’re going to seek out out what the dearth of a minor league season did to younger gamers’ growth not simply final 12 months, however this 12 months, too. I don’t know if I’m able to pencil him in as a man I wish to put in that sort of spot that quickly.”
On the same be aware, Volpe doubtless may have been “knocking on the door” of the majors if the 2020 minor league season hadn’t been worn out. But when he begins the season at Double-A, a late-season call-up isn’t out of the query, based on sources.
The Yankees may reply these questions after the lockout by signing one of many remaining premier free brokers, Correa or Story, or going after a stopgap choice, reminiscent of Andrelton Simmons or Jose Iglesias.
Potential commerce targets embody Isiah Kiner-Falefa from the Rangers, now that Texas has each Seager and Semien.
Former Met Amed Rosario may be out there from Cleveland, as may Nicky Lopez from the Royals, as a result of Kansas Metropolis has its personal prime prospect, Bobby Witt Jr., near contributing.
“Is Volpe their beginning shortstop in ’23?” one other scout puzzled. “They might transfer him to second or third, however he’s coming fast. May they transfer Peraza this offseason in a package deal for one thing else? Possibly. They’re in a great place with each of them. I simply don’t know if I see both of them on a playoff workforce in 2022, but it surely gained’t be too lengthy.”
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