Anthony Volpe may feel like the spiritual successor to Derek Jeter, but there is a long trail of others between the Yankees’ star rookie and their all-time great.
Volpe will make his big league debut on Thursday, Opening Day, when he starts at shortstop for the Bombers against the Giants. The New Jersey native is, by ESNY’s count, the 19th player to start at the position for the Yankees since Jeter’s retirement.
So, naturally, we ranked them all. Some you will remember. Many you will not.
Here we go …
1. Didi Gregorius. Jeter’s direct successor spent five seasons in the Bronx and gave the Yankees three very good years from 2016-18, including 27 home runs in ’18. And there were also the celebration tweets. But durability was always an issue.
2. Gleyber Torres. He has not become the player the Yankees believed he would be after two All-Star nods earlier in his career. But he got himself back on track in 2022. Torres is a very good player. But his days in the Bronx appear numbered.
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3. Starlin Castro. He made the All-Star team with the Yankees in 2017 at second base, but had a handful of starts at shortstop.
4. Oswaldo Cabrera. The Yankees are hoping for big things from the young utility man in 2023.
5. Oswald Peraza. It is unfortunate Peraza has to start the year at Triple-A. Brian Cashman has to cut some of the dead weight in the middle of the infield ASAP.
6. Gio Urshela. Who would have thought he would end up being the best player in the blockbuster Josh Donaldson deal?
7. Tyler Wade. A productive player over five years with the Yankees, but his greatest claim to fame is being Aaron Judge’s good friend.
8. Troy Tulowitski. He was barely a Yankee in 2019. But he was also a five-time All-Star, so he has to go ahead of all the below names on principle. Plus he did manage to hit a homer in pinstripes.
9. Ronald Torreyes. The diminutive journeyman had his moments as a utility infielder. A potential future Old Timer’s Day invitee.
10. Andrew Velasquez. The Bronx native had a great little run during the 2021 season.
11. Stephen Drew. He mainly played second base with the Yankees, but he had a handful of starts at shortstop. Drew hit 17 home runs for the Bombers in 2015.
12. Marwin Gonzalez. Had an abysmal batting average, but provided a little pop, last season as a reserve.
13. Brendan Ryan. He spent three unspectacular years with the Yankees from 2013-15 as a reserve infielder.
14. Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Let’s keep this moving.
15. Adeiny Hechaverria. He batted .194 in 18 games down the stretch and was a defensive replacement in the 2018 wild card win over the Athletics.
16. Thairo Estrada. Spent almost nine years in the Yankees organization before establishing himself with the Giants.
17. Jordy Mercer. He was a Yankee for five days in 2020. But he managed to play six games because of the strange COVID-19 season.
18. Pete Kozma. The journeyman spent the first month of the 2017 season with the Yankees with Didi Gregorius sidelined due to injury. He batted .111 and was designated for assignment once Gregorius was ready to go.
James Kratch can be reached at james.kratch@xlmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @jameskratch.