Yankees Sign Former Mets Infielder With Anthony Volpe Uncertainty

With Anthony Volpe set to miss the start of the 2026 season for the New York Yankees after undergoing shoulder surgery to repair a partially torn labrum back in October, the New York Yankees have brought in an experienced infielder as additional depth.

The Yankees recently signed Zack Short to a minor league deal, according to the MILB's transaction log, marking the seventh different organization that the New York native will have played for.

José Caballero is currently in line to begin the year as the Yankees' starting shortstop, and he may stick in that role even after Volpe returns, but Short is a potential bench option who should provide some stability down in Triple-A for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders as well.

Jul 22, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Houston Astros infielder Zack Short against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Short's MLB Career

A 17th-round pick by the Chicago Cubs in the 2016 MLB Draft, Short remained with the organization for four years before being traded to the Detroit Tigers for former Yankee Cameron Maybin at the 2020 deadline.

Short, primarily known for his glove work and versatility, made his big-league debut for Detroit in April 2021. He finished that season with six home runs and a .521 OPS over 184 plate appearances.

He played in just two games for the Tigers in 2022, but he remained on the 26-man roster for a majority of the 2023 campaign and appeared in 110 contests, logging a .631 OPS with seven home runs over 253 trips to the plate.

The New York Mets claimed Short off waivers from Detroit in November 2023, and he cracked the club's Opening Day roster in 2024. He'd play in just 10 games for them, though, before getting designated for assignment that April.

Short proceeded to spend the rest of that year with the Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves, appearing in a combined 32 contests between the two teams all while closing out the campaign with a .454 OPS.

The 30-year-old then inked a minor league deal with the Houston Astros ahead of the 2025 season, and he slashed .220/.291/.380 in 22 games for them.

Short later elected free agency in October, which opened the door for him to join the Yankees two months later.

Can Short Make an Impact for the Yankees?

Even without Volpe occupying a spot on the big-league roster for at least the first month of the season, Short will still be fighting an uphill battle to break camp with the Yankees following spring training. In fact, it's tough to predict whether or not he'll ever get a true shot with the club.

Though Short's experience at second base, shortstop and third base in addition to being a right-handed hitter works in his favor, Amed Rosario, Oswaldo Cabrera and Jorbit Vivas are all more enticing and logical bench options for New York for one reason or another.

Additionally, the Yankees already have a pair of players with similar profiles to Short in Braden Shewmake and Jonathan Ornelas, both of whom are potentially set to join him in Triple-A.

Short's 241 games of major league experience is perhaps another factor worth considering as part of this discussion, but it could take another injury or two for him to truly become a candidate for New York's 26-man roster.

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