(Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
MLB announced its Gold Glove award nominees for each league and position, and New York Yankees rookie Anthony Volpe has been rewarded for his excellent performance with the glove.
He might have some growing to do with the bat after finishing 2023 with a .666 OPS, but he showed that he can be a competent MLB shortstop despite some questions about his range and arm.
Yankees insider Bryan Hoch announced that Volpe is one of the Gold Glove award finalists at shortstop in the American League.
Anthony Volpe is an AL Gold Glove finalist at shortstop. #Yankees
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) October 18, 2023
Carlos Correa of the Minnesota Twins and Corey Seager of the Texas Rangers are the ones who will be competing with Volpe.
Volpe did have 17 errors at shortstop this season, but he also had excellent advanced stats that validate his performance.
For example, he logged 16 Defensive Runs Saved, or DRS.
He also accumulated 1 Out Above Average (OAA) and a 2.7 mark in Ultimate Zone Rating per 150 games (UZR/150).
The most perplexing thing of all is that Volpe isn’t even considered the best defensive shortstop in the Yankees system because scouts love what Oswald Peraza has to offer in that regard.
Still, Volpe is more than good enough to stick around at the position for the long haul and has a good chance of winning the Gold Glove even if he is not the favorite.
Offensively, he accumulated 21 home runs and 24 stolen bases, but his 84 wRC+ suggests he was below-average with the bat.
If he improves considerably on offense and resembles the player who had a 122 wRC+ in Double-A in 2022, he has the potential for a high WAR finish and an All-Star berth.
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