Yankees Shortstop Situation: A Simple Guide for Beginners

What Is Happening With the Yankees Infield?

The New York Yankees baseball team has a few players who can play the shortstop position (the player who stands between second and third base). Right now, it is not clear who will play that spot the most. Let’s break it down like you’re five years old.

Bench Players and Pregame Practice

• Players at the bottom of the team list (the "bench players") usually take pretend swings in practice games before the real game.
• These practice games happen hours before the actual game and are like warm-ups against pitchers who are returning from injury.
• Think of these bench players as pawns (game pieces) used to help the pitchers practice.

Anthony Volpe and a Rainy Saturday

• On Saturday afternoon in The Bronx (where the Yankees play), Anthony Volpe and Ali Sánchez stepped into the batting box to face pitcher Clarke Schmidt in one of these practice games.
• The real game planned for Saturday night was canceled because of rain.
• Before that, Volpe was going to sit out (not start) for the second day in a row.
• If Volpe plays in one of Sunday’s two games (a "doubleheader" means two games in one day), then he will have started:
  1. One game in Sunday’s doubleheader (expected)
  2. One game in the series before that (Washington)
  3. One game in the series before Washington (Tampa Bay)

Important: Volpe is only playing shortstop in about one game per series lately, not every day.

Two "Shortstop Watches"

There are two things fans are watching:

• George Lombard Jr. Watch: A young prospect (a player learning to join the big team) who might take the job.
• Trade Deadline Watch: The Yankees might trade (swap players with another team) before a cutoff date to get a better shortstop.

José Caballero Is Playing the Most

• Right now, José Caballero is getting the most playing time at shortstop.
• Manager Aaron Boone says it is still "day-to-day" (decided each day), but Caballero is winning the spot on most days.

Caballero’s Defense

In Friday’s loss to the Dodgers:

• Caballero went 0-for-4 (did not get a hit in four tries) but made two amazing defensive plays.
• He stole a hit from Kyle Tucker by diving and spinning to throw him out.
• He caught a fly ball in shallow center field with his back turned to home plate.

His defense is solid, and his throwing arm is better than Volpe’s.

Comparing the Hitters

• Neither Volpe nor Caballero has hit well enough to fully claim the job.
• Caballero’s OPS (a number that shows overall hitting success) is .688.
• Volpe’s OPS is .668, so Caballero is slightly better.
• Lately, Volpe is hitting .222/.276/.222 over his last 10 games (very low numbers).
• This might be because he plays only sometimes, which makes hitting harder.

Important: Caballero is the better hitter and fielder of the two right now, by a little bit.

What the Manager Says

After Saturday’s rainout, Boone said:

• Both Volpe and Caballero are focused and ready.
• They have a "team-first attitude" (they care about the team more than themselves).

No New Position for Volpe

• There are no plans to move Volpe to a different position.
• Caballero has played many positions (utilityman), so he moves when needed (outfield, second, third).
• But since Trent Grisham and Ryan McMahon returned from injury, the team needs fewer fill-ins.
• So Caballero plays less elsewhere, and Volpe plays less overall.

Why This Is a Big Deal

• Volpe won the everyday shortstop job in spring training 2023.
• From 2023–25, he played in 472 of 486 games (almost always).
• He is from New Jersey and loves Derek Jeter (a famous Yankee).
• His hitting did not improve as much as hoped.
• Now, his playing time is dropping, which is surprising.

George Lombard Jr. Could Be the Future

• Lombard is 21 years old and a top prospect.
• He hurt his fingers in mid-June but returned Friday.
• In his return game, he went 2-for-3 with a home run and a walk for the minor league team Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
• He also hit a home run in each of his rehab games in Florida.
• His batting looks ready.

Boone says:

• It is "possible" Lombard helps the big team this season.
• The Yankees are talking internally about how much they need to see before promoting him.
• This would happen during a playoff push (trying to reach the championship).
• Boone said: "It’s no secret how highly we think of George."
• Lombard could even be traded, but that would be a surprise.

Summary

The Yankees have a shortstop puzzle. Volpe used to play every day but now sits often. Caballero is playing the most because he fields and hits a bit better. Meanwhile, young George Lombard Jr. is doing great in the minors and might join soon. The team is watching both Lombard’s growth and the trade deadline to decide the future.

FAQ

Q: Why was Volpe in a practice game on Saturday?
A: The real game was rained out, and he was not starting anyway, so he took swings in a pregame sim game against a rehabbing pitcher.

Q: What is a doubleheader?
A: It is when a baseball team plays two games in one day.

Q: What does OPS mean?
A: OPS is a simple number that adds a player’s ability to get on base and hit for power. Higher is better.

Q: Will Volpe play another position?
A: No, the manager said there are no plans to move him off shortstop.

Q: Is George Lombard Jr. coming to the Yankees soon?
A: Maybe. He is doing well in the minors after injury, and the team is discussing if and when to bring him up.