TAMPA, Fla. —Bucky Dent knows what it feels like to carry the Yankees weight on a short stop’s shoulders. Nearly 50 years ago, the undersized infielder launched a three-run homer in the famous Game 163 against Boston and helped propel the Yankees to a World Series title in 1978. His middle name is still unprintable in New England.
This week in Tampa, Dent sat down with Anthony Volpe for a lengthy one-on-one conversation. A guest instructor in Yankees camp, Dent sought out the 24-year-old from New Jersey to talk defense, confidence and whatever else was on his mind.
“I said, ‘Anthony, you have all the ability. I’ll watch you. If you have any questions, come to me.’ I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes, but I think I can help,” Dent recalled.
That Volpe needed the session speaks volumes about where he stands. Three years into his major league career, the 2019 first-round pick is still searching for the version of himself that the Yankees fell in love with.
Three years of stalled progress
Volpe burst onto the scene in spring training 2023 and practically forced his way onto the Opening Day roster. His energy, quick hands and enough pop to dream on made him a fan favorite overnight. He won the Gold Glove Award that year.
Since then, the trajectory has flatlined. His batting average has never risen above .243. Last season he hit .212/.272/.391 with 19 home runs and an 83 OPS+. His 19 errors tied for the third-most among all major leaguers. The defense that once defined him had become a liability.
Then came the shoulder injury last May on a diving play. Surgery on a torn labrum followed after the postseason. Volpe called it the “rock bottom” moment of his career.
He is now rehabbing in Tampa and making fast progress in all areas except swinging the bat, which will come last. He is targeting an April return from the injured list.
“I wanted to soak up everything I could from someone I respect so much,” Volpe said of his time with Dent. “We talked about doing the little things on defense that I take pride in. There was a lot of back and forth. We really speak the same language, which is always nice.”
When asked what happened to the player the Yankees drafted, Volpe paused for several seconds.
“I honestly don’t know,” he said quietly, before adding, “I still know what I’m capable of. I still think I can help the Yankees. I feel like we have a team that can win the World Series, but I don’t think we’ll do it unless I’m out there playing my best.”
The Corey Seager shadow that won’t go away
While Volpe works to rebuild himself in Florida, a report from Joel Sherman of the New York Post revealed this week that the Yankees and Boston Red Sox were among teams that engaged in trade discussions with the Texas Rangers about shortstop Corey Seager during the offseason.
The timing is hard to ignore. Seager, the two-time World Series MVP, hit .271/.373/.487 with 21 home runs, a 149 OPS+ and 6.2 bWAR in just 102 games for Texas in 2025. He has six years and roughly $189 million remaining on his 10-year, $325 million contract.
The discussions were reportedly sparked by clubhouse friction between Seager and second baseman Marcus Semien, which led Texas to trade Semien to the Mets for Brandon Nimmo. Whether the Yankees’ talks progressed beyond the exploratory stage is unclear. Rangers president Chris Young eventually shut the door publicly.
“The reality is we are not motivated to move Corey Seager,” Young said at the Winter Meetings in December. “We are trying to win a championship in 2026 and in order to do that, we need great players.”
Still, the fact that New York made the call at all shows the organization is aware of its shortstop problem. For Yankees fans who never forgave the front office for passing on Seager in free agency after the 2021 season, the report was a reminder of the road not taken.
Volpe has the inside track, but barely
The Yankees are not handing the shortstop job to anyone. Jose Caballero has been filling in since arriving from Tampa Bay at last year’s trade deadline. He hit .266 with an .828 OPS in limited action and brings elite speed, positional versatility and reliable defense.
But the organization still views Volpe as the long-term answer. He has more power than Caballero and owns the Gold Glove from 2023. Manager Aaron Boone would love to see Volpe sacrifice a few home runs for another 30 to 40 points on his batting average.
Volpe is working on a new approach. Though he is not yet ready for live batting practice, he plans to tweak his timing on fastballs rather than chasing the breaking pitches outside the zone that have haunted him throughout his career. The sit-on-the-fastball strategy could be the adjustment that finally unlocks his bat.
There were flashes of it last October. In the Wild Card Series against Boston, Volpe hit .364 with a home run against Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet. Then the Division Series arrived and he went 1-for-15 with 11 strikeouts as the Blue Jays eliminated the Yankees in four games. The boos at Yankee Stadium grew louder with each at-bat.
Volpe embraces the boos instead of running from them
Most young players would crumble under that kind of reception. Volpe did not.
“I know people really care. I want them to react,” Volpe said. “Obviously, I want them to cheer for me, but for them not to do so say anything is not what I’d want, either. With the booing, I know I’d be doing the same thing if I was in their shoes. I want them to know I’m doing everything I can to be the best player possible.”
That is the right message to send in February. The real test comes when the games count. With Seager trade rumors still lingering in the background and Caballero waiting for any stumble, Volpe cannot afford another slow start.
The conversation with Dent will stay open. The two plan to connect again in the coming weeks. But the answers Volpe needs most will come from himself, on the field, in front of those same fans who booed him last October.
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