Anthony Volpe is a tough player to analyze in terms of his fantasy baseball upside. He figures to see plenty of plate appearances as the Yankees’ everyday shortstop in 2026, which should bode well for his prospects of being a valuable commodity in fantasy. However, those who decide to draft Volpe in standard formats must exercise patience, as the former first-round pick in the 2019 MLB Draft will open the season on the injured list due to a shoulder injury.
Still, when healthy, Volpe should return to his regular duty at shortstop, sending Jose Caballero to a bench role. Volpe could be ready to make his regular-season debut at some point toward the end of April, so he should see decent consideration in most formats. Volpe didn’t have his best season in 2025, though playing through this shoulder injury could have affected his overall numbers.
Once he’s fully fit and ready to be an everyday player for the Bronx Bombers, Volpe will look to bounce back from a 2025 season in which he hit .212 with a .663 OPS across 153 regular-season games and 596 plate appearances.
Anthony Volpe’s Strengths, Weaknesses and 2026 Fantasy Projection
If we measure Volpe on league-average numbers, then there are no double lectures: he’s been a below-average hitter throughout his career. He hasn’t hit above .250 in any of his full three seasons in the majors, with his best season being the 2024 campaign (.243).
His OPS numbers have been quite consistent, with his three seasons ranging from .657 to .666. Still, that figure is another below-average mark.
As such, don’t expect Volpe to become an above-average hitter overnight. Even if he delivers the best season of his career in 2026, Volpe should hit around .250 or .260 with an OPS slightly above .700. That would be a massive improvement compared to his career numbers, but is there any area in which Volpe stands out in fantasy?
Surprisingly, yes. Despite being a player who doesn’t hit for a high average, Volpe has power to hit around 15 to 20 homers per year, and the fact that he hits in one of the best lineups in the majors should boost his run-producing numbers. He has stolen at least 18 bases in each year as well, so he can deliver a little bit of everything as an all-around producer, but he doesn’t stand out in any particular area.
With that in mind, it would be wise to target Volpe as a backup option at shortstop. This is one of the positions with the biggest amount of elite talent ahead of the 2026 fantasy baseball season, and you could do much better than having Volpe as your starting, everyday shortstop.
But as a depth option who can move around the diamond, Volpe is certainly a strong option. He’s a valid alternative to target in the later rounds of your draft, though in 10-team or 12-team formats, he could very well go undrafted, as evidenced by his ADP around the No. 320 range.
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