Anthony Volpe gives October insight into the player the Yankees believe in

The Yankees have a homegrown, good-natured, defensively excellent shortstop who was already proven in October.

Do they have one of the better baseball players? One of the better baseball players at some point? One of the best baseball players at some point?

What is Anthony Volpe's blanket?

“All-Star level players, year in and year out,” manager Aaron Boone said before Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday in the Bronx. “I think he’s capable of that.”

There are many doubts about what the Yankees will look like in 2025, ahead of an offseason that will notably see Juan Soto and Gleyber Torres hit free agency.

Their lineup full of questions behind Aaron Judge would be far more reliable if Volpe grows into the player the Yankees believe he is growing into.

For a look at the Yankees' ideal Volpe future, consider Game 4 on Tuesday.

The reigning AL Gold Glove shortstop made some strong defensive plays, including a sliding backhand stop on a one-hopper by Kiké Hernandez to gain a lead into second place. In the eighth, he turned a single into a double, stole third base (his second steal of the night), got a good break and used a nice dive to score on a ground ball.

Oh, and he set up the grand slam for his first World Series home run.

“You just saw his entire game (Tuesday) night,” Boone said. “The quality of the hitting was there all night, as it has been all postseason. The defense. You saw the base run.

“…Just a great all-around game and a game he’s capable of.”

In his first two major league seasons, Volpe showed flashes, but only flashes. Among qualified shortstops this season, Volpe was 19th best with a .657 OPS. He started the season hot, cooled off significantly in June, rebounded in August, and posted an abysmal .432 OPS in September.

That September is forgotten because of his October, when he hit .273 with a .794 OPS and five steals in Game 5 in his first 13 postseason games.

And at 23 and 184 days old, he became the third-youngest Yankee to hit a postseason grand slam, beaten only by Mickey Mantle and Gil McDougald. Volpe, born in New York and raised in New Jersey, was interviewed after the game by childhood hero Derek Jeter.

“It’s pretty crazy to think about,” Volpe said of the interview. “It's my dream, but it was all my friends' dreams, all my cousins' dreams, probably my sister's dream too.

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“But winning the World Series was by far the most important thing. Nothing else compares. So there is still a lot of work ahead of us.”

Perhaps Volpe has found something he can carry into next season that would be a significant development for the player and the team.

Volpe has been a below-average hitter in two big league seasons, which can be forgiven for a player who compensates with excellent defense at a prime spot and solid baserunning, but there is still untapped potential.

“He was so great defensively,” said Carlos Rodon, who would know. “I know it hasn't been a great performance offensively this year, but he's such a great baseball player. I mean, he's so dynamic when it comes to influencing the game for us. His skills, his baseball knowledge and his defensive skills, his baserunning skills.

“He had an impact on a lot of those games, whether it was picking pockets or making some pretty incredible defensive plays.”

Unlocking a new level – moving October Volpe to April – would be crucial for a team that likely wouldn't make many flashy offensive upgrades if Soto can be retained.

A first-round pick in 2019 was solid rather than superstar, more of a supporting piece than a foundational piece. There is room for growth, and his manager believes he is still growing.

“I think he was a big success his first few years,” Boone said. “I think there is so much more to it and more development that needs to happen and I believe that is happening and will happen on offense until he is the finished product of what everyone has hoped and imagined .”