5 more young MLB stars who should follow in Bobby Witt Jr.'s footsteps

New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe

Let's stay in the Big Apple for our final choice of the day. Ever since Derek Jeter retired in 2014, the New York Yankees have struggled to replace him. It's no surprise--Jeter was one of the faces of the sport and a nearly-unanimous Hall of Fame selection--but while Didi Gregorius and Gleyber Torres had their moments, neither ever truly felt like the heir to "The Captain."

Anthony Volpe might have a chance to change that. The young shortstop tallied over 600 plate appearances as a rookie, and considering he was playing the most famous position in sports this side of Dallas Cowboys quarterback, he acquitted himself well, launching 21 homers and stealing 24 bases in baseball's most pressure-filled market. He also did something Jeter or any other Yankee never did--win a Gold Glove as a rookie.

Volpe was widely regarded as one of the top prospects in baseball heading into 2023, and he won the Opening Day starting shortstop nod with a strong spring training. With Isiah Kiner-Falefa now in Toronto, he enters his second season as the unquestioned man at short.

Volpe will need to raise his .209 average from a year ago to take the next step towards stardom, but if he stays on the chicken parm diet, the Yankees would do well to lock down the face of their new young generation. Aaron Judge is the guy in the Bronx right now, but in a few years, it could very easily be Volpe.