NEW YORK — Anthony Volpe is sitting at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre while the first-place Yankees go about their business. He is not hurt. He is not suspended. He just has no path back to the major league roster right now.
That combination of circumstances is exactly what teams around the league have been waiting to hear. According to multiple reports, clubs are already calling the Yankees to ask about Volpe’s availability.
The trade chatter is real. And the Yankees have a decision to make.
Astros among teams making inquiries
MLB Network reporter Holly Baylor reported that the Houston Astros have contacted the Yankees about a potential Volpe trade. Astros shortstop Carlos Correa suffered a season-ending ankle injury, opening a void in their infield.
Baylor described the Yankees’ posture as not actively shopping Volpe. At the same time, the situation is considered fluid by teams monitoring his status. The Astros, and others with shortstop needs, are watching closely.
Yankees GM Brian Cashman addressed the situation directly. He acknowledged that expanded options at shortstop made the decision easier, even as it raised eyebrows around the league.
“It wasn’t anything that Anthony Volpe was doing wrong, it was what [Caballero] was doing that led to that decision,” Cashman said. “Stay tuned, it’s a long year.”
Jose Caballero is batting .256 with a .711 OPS and has contributed 13 stolen bases through Thursday’s games. His defense at shortstop has drawn praise from manager Aaron Boone. Boone called it among the best at the position this year. For as long as that continues, Volpe stays put.
Morosi’s warning: Volpe’s Yankees window may be closing
MLB Network insider Jon Morosi was more direct. He framed the issue around two overlapping threats to Volpe’s long-term Yankees standing.
“If we’re in July and Volpe is still in the minor leagues and the Yankees are still winning,” Morosi said on MLB Network.
“And there’s a player out there that they need. I would like to see how Volpe looks as a potential long-term shortstop somewhere else,” Morosi added.
Morosi also flagged the longer-term issue that goes beyond Caballero. The Yankees have top shortstop prospect George Lombard Jr. working his way through the system. If Lombard continues to develop on schedule, Volpe’s window at the position in New York gets even narrower.
“Because if Caballero is the guy for now, what about George Lombard Jr. coming along?” Morosi said.
Volpe is 25 years old with team control through 2028. He was a first-round pick. He finished third in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2023 and won a Gold Glove. He hit .222 with an 85 wRC-plus across 1,886 career plate appearances with the Yankees. The production has not matched the pedigree. But the pedigree is real, and that is what other clubs are betting on when they make the call to Cashman.
Oswaldo Cabrera seen as the more likely trade chip
Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller named a different Yankees player as the most likely trade: utility infielder Oswaldo Cabrera.
The reasoning was straightforward. The Yankees infield is stacked. First base is covered by Paul Goldschmidt and Ben Rice. Ryan McMahon, Jose Caballero and Amed Rosario fill out the other spots. Volpe is in Triple-A as insurance. Cabrera is 27 years old and under club control for two-plus more seasons. He has no clear path to regular Yankees playing time.
Miller wrote that if the Yankees could swap Cabrera for a bullpen arm, they would probably do it. Cabrera carries a .234 career average with 20 home runs and a .641 OPS across 858 at-bats. He plays multiple positions. He is cheap. Those factors make him useful as a trade chip even if he is not the centerpiece of any major deal.
It is worth noting that Cabrera and Volpe represent two different kinds of trade value. Cabrera is a depth piece who fits well in another organization’s bench. Volpe is a former top prospect. A shortstop-needy team might pay a real price, betting they can unlock what the Yankees could not.
Where things stand for Volpe
Volpe made news during his Triple-A stint last week when video of a baserunning mistake in a game against Worcester went viral. He hesitated rounding second base on a ball off the wall, costing the team a run. The clip spread quickly online and added fuel to an already active debate about his future.
The Yankees have not indicated they intend to trade him. Cashman’s comment about it being a long year is the clearest signal of where their thinking is right now. Volpe is still on the 40-man roster. His control runs through 2028. If Caballero slumps or gets hurt, Volpe is the first call.
But Morosi’s read on July is the one worth sitting with. If the Yankees are still winning in July and Houston is desperate for a shortstop, the calculation changes fast.
Volpe has options. The Yankees have leverage. The calls are already coming in.
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