Anthony Volpe now second favorite in 2023 AL Rookie of the Year odds after making Yankees' Opening Day roster as starting shortstop

It appears that Baltimore Orioles infielder Gunnar Henderson will be the AL Rookie of the Year favorite at Caesars Sportsbook when the season begins Thursday, as he has been atop the boards for months and is the +300 leader. Hot on his heels, however, is Yankees infielder Anthony Volpe, who is now the +450 second favorite and will be on the Opening Day roster as New York's starting shortstop.

MLB.com ranks Henderson the No. 1 overall prospect in the sport. Volpe is No. 5 with an overall grade of 60 on a scale of 20-80. Last year Volpe had the first 20-homer, 50-steal season by a minor leaguer since Andruw Jones in 1995. It's now pretty clear that the Yankees stole Volpe as the No. 30 overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft out of a New Jersey high school.

On Sunday, Manager Aaron Boone called Volpe into his office and told the 21-year-old that he would be breaking spring camp in Tampa with the Yankees. Volpe battled shortstop contenders Oswald Peraza and Isiah Kiner-Falefa for the job. Through 17 spring games, Volpe has hit .314 (16-for-51) with six doubles, a triple, three homers and five RBI.

Volpe will be 21 years and 336 days old when the Yankees open the regular season on Thursday against the Giants. The last player that young to start a season opener for the Bronx Bombers was Derek Jeter (21 years, 281 days) in 1996. Volpe would be the first Yankees position player to make his MLB debut and start on Opening Day since Hideki Matsui in 2003, and the first Yanks shortstop to do so since Jerry Lumpe in 1956.

"We entered camp with an open competition; we said it publicly and we said it privately," GM Brian Cashman said. "The obvious exclamation point here is: Anthony Volpe came into camp and took this position. He should be congratulated. It was well played. He's earned the right to take that spot for the New York Yankees as we open the 2023 season. We're excited for him and excited for us."

The 22-year-old Peraza, who entered spring as the shortstop frontrunner, was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Peraza hit just .190 (8-for-42) with a homer, one RBI and two steals this spring.

Volpe is +2500 at DraftKings to lead the majors in stolen bases. In 275 minor league games, Volpe hit .263/.376/.505 with 50 home runs and 89 stolen bases. The last Yankee to win Rookie of the Year was Aaron Judge in 2017. 

So which 2023 Fantasy baseball busts, breakouts, and sleepers should you target or fade in your drafts? Visit SportsLine's Fantasy baseball cheat sheets now to get rankings for every single position, all from the model that called Joey Votto's disappointing season, and find out.