The New York Yankees are looking for blockbuster upgrades all over their roster after a disappointing five-game ALDS elimination in 2025 at the hands of the Toronto Blue Jays. Few deals qualify as a bigger potential splash at shortstop than upgrading the position with Corey Seager from the Texas Rangers.
Yanks Go Yard’s Stephen Parello believes Brian Cashman could package Yankees SS Anthony Volpe and third-year starter Will Warren with pitching prospect Bryce Cunningham and outfielding prospect Dillon Lewis.
“...the Yankees can open their package with Volpe paired with Will Warren to solve those needs. Volpe will get his first pass through arbitration, meaning he's still affordable and comes with three more years of team control. Volpe doesn't truly block their top prospect, shortstop Sebastian Walcott (No. 6 overall on MLB Pipeline's top 100), as the 19-year-old will need more seasoning before he brings his massive talents to the majors. In that time, perhaps Volpe can prove that a change of scenery can help him reach his full potential and can eventually form an exciting double-play combo with Walcott,” Parello wrote.
“Warren would give them a young arm to pair with Volpe's high school teammate, Jack Leiter, in their rotation. The pair could become a trio that helps Texas get its pitching staff in order if the third overall pick in 2022, Kumar Rocker, can get his act together.”
Volpe, a New York City native, would likely object to this move. With that said, his play in 2025 indicated that he’s not on the trajectory the Yankees would’ve hoped. While he lowered his strikeout total, most of his counting stats declined besides RBIs, and his batting average plummeted 31 points. It’s just business if the franchise moves on from the local kid, even if it’d sting for all parties involved.
Warren, meanwhile, is a complete pitcher who keeps home runs and contact in general low. He had 171 strikeouts for the Yanks in 2025, a good way to navigate pitching so often in a hitter-friendly park.
Texas could do worse than this return for Seager, who doesn’t want to be moved but likely understands he could be a part of the front office’s teardown of a title team from 2023 that didn’t come close to those heights since.
Everywhere he’s gone, he's won it all, and the Yankees badly want to end what is now a 17-year World Series drought. The two belong together, though NYY would have to be okay with committing to the 31-year-old as their shortstop of the present and the future.