“Anthony Volpe playing at his level”;“Still rooting for him”

Earlier this month, the New York Yankees decided to send shortstop Anthony Volpe to their Triple-A team due to his struggles at the plate. To fill his position, the Yankees called up top prospect George Lombard Jr. as their new starting shortstop.

Despite the setback, Volpe made an immediate impact in Triple-A, hitting a 431-foot, two-run home run in his debut game for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre against Rochester on Friday night.

Fans of Major League Baseball reacted to Volpe’s impressive two-run homer following his demotion.

“Tells you the quality gap between AAA and the majors. Volpe playing in his level now. Keep him there.”

“I’m not losing faith. Still rooting for him.”

“The kid clearly can’t handle NYC. He’s be better off in a small market and playing 2B.”

“I feel bad for Vople he probably hasn’t fully recover from the shoulder surgery to bad he hustle all time wish luck.”

“Completely different stance/load/initial move. Probably told the Yankees to f*** off and go back to what he was doing a few years ago.”

Volpe, who is under a $3.475 million contract, faced demotion after hitting only one home run in 56 games. He played in the first three games with the RailRiders and is anticipated to divide his playing time between shortstop and second base, according to Yankees manager Aaron Boone.

George Lombard Jr. continues to grow after Anthony Volpe’s demotion

Anthony Volpe began the 2026 season on the injured list due to recovery from offseason shoulder surgery. During his time in the minors, Jose Caballero served as the Yankees’ shortstop.

Volpe was recalled after Caballero’s injury, leading to a shared role at shortstop. However, Volpe’s difficulties at the plate, combined with George Lombard Jr.’s impressive minor league performance, resulted in his demotion. Lombard made a strong impression by hitting a home run in his MLB debut against the St. Louis Cardinals and continues to excel, batting .333 as he prepares for Friday’s game against the Atlanta Braves at Yankee Stadium. His defensive skills have also caught the attention of fans.