Yankees focused on being 'strong up the middle,' helped by Anthony Volpe-Jazz Chisholm Jr. combo

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has long tried to adhere to one of the many lessons taught to him by his mentor, Gene “Stick” Michael, the legendary scout and Yankees front-office executive.

That would be the need to have a “strong spine” on the diamond. Meaning, be strong up the middle.

The vast majority of Yankees championship teams have featured that, including their most recent one in 2009.

That group had Jorge Posada as the primary catcher, a still-in-his-prime Derek Jeter at shortstop, the athletic Robinson Cano at second, and Melky Cabrera and a young, emerging Brett Gardner seeing time in centerfield.

In talking about what is expected to be his new shortstop-second baseman combination this season — third-year shortstop Anthony Volpe and Jazz Chisholm Jr., who has been shifted from third to his more natural position of second — manager Aaron Boone referenced the strong spine he believes his team could have in 2025.

“Just feel like his [Chisholm’s] athleticism in the middle of the diamond, with Anthony there, gives us a chance to be incredibly strong up the middle,” Boone said before the Yankees and Phillies played to a 7-7 tie at BayCare Ballpark.

“From [Austin] Wells on through to centerfield with Belli [Cody Bellinger] and Grish [Trent Grisham] when he’s out there, or if we had to move JD [Jasson Dominguez] over.”

Volpe and Chisholm made the trip to Clearwater on Thursday, with each appearing in his fifth game of spring training, all of them together. That has been by design.

“Obviously, I’m trying to pair them together as much as I can,” Boone said. “But I love the relationship that’s happening and building, and I think they have a chance to be really, really special up the middle.”

That relationship did not start this month — the two were commonly seen talking and laughing around each other pretty much from the time Chisholm arrived from the Marlins via trade in late July — but it clearly has continued to blossom.

“We have the same kind of personality I feel like off the field,” the uber-confident and uber-outspoken Chisholm said Thursday. “We’re both goofy and kids at heart. Just want to have fun and enjoy life. And play video games. We’re basically the same guy.”

The decidedly understated (at least in public) Volpe laughed when Chisholm’s comments were relayed to him.

“I don’t know about that,” Volpe said. “He has so much joy playing and so much energy, even the days we’re not playing. What makes him so good, I think, is he brings out the best in the rest of the guys.”

The duo turned two 6-4-3 double plays Thursday with Carlos Rodon on the mound. Rodon was impressed with the inning-ending DP started by Volpe on Rodolfo Castro’s chopper in the second.

“Not an easy double play to turn, by the way,” Rodon said after allowing three runs, four hits and two walks in 2 2⁄3 innings (he struck out four, including three of the first four batters). “That ball was not hit very hard. Volpe kind of stumbling to his left and then Jazz with the quick turn. [But] I had a lot of confidence. I was already kind of walking off.”

Chisholm said, “I think we can be the best shortstop/second baseman in the league definitely defensively.”

He added: “I think we’re probably going to turn the most double plays in the league as well. That would be my prediction for us.”

Volpe, who raved about Chisholm’s “range,” “athleticism” and “cannon” of an arm, smiled again when informed of his second baseman’s best-in-the-league comment.

“I take it day by day,” Volpe said. “But a lot of the stuff he says is stuff we can control. I think we should have no excuse to not expect the best of ourselves.”

Notes & quotes: Dominguez started in leftfield, the position he is all but certain to win by camp’s end. He still is a work in progress there, as evidenced by his awkward try in the gap on Edmundo Sosa’s RBI double in the third . . . Righthander Scott Effross, expected to be part of the bullpen leaving camp, suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain Tuesday in his exhibition debut, with the injury occurring on his first pitch of the afternoon against the Twins in Fort Myers. “It’ll be some time,” Boone said before Thursday’s game. Effross has pitched in all of 16 games for the Yankees since being acquired before the 2022 trade deadline, undergoing Tommy John surgery in October 2022 and then, during his rehab from that, undergoing back surgery in December 2023, costing him most of last season . . . Gerrit Cole will make his exhibition debut Friday night against the Blue Jays at home.