Could service-time manipulation be a thing of the past in MLB? The Jordan Walker and Anthony Volpe call-ups suggest so.
In previous years, teams kept players in the minors for extended periods of time to add another year of control to their contracts. And one of the key sticking points in the last Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations was eliminating – or even lessening – how teams manipulate a players’ service time.
Service time manipulation still exists, but the St. Louis Cardinals adding Jordan Walker and the New York Yankees adding Anthony Volpe to their Opening Day rosters shows the progress made from the latest CBA.
Jordan Walker makes Cardinals Opening Day roster
Walker stands at 6’5″, 220 pounds and has a frame similar to Yankees outfielder Giancarlo Stanton. He entered spring training with a real chance at a spot on the Opening Day roster, but considering that he is only 20 years old and doesn’t have an at-bat above Double-A, few thought he would actually do so.
But he impressed throughout camp, hitting 5-for-14 with a 1.017 OPS, and is now primed for a prominent role in St. Louis.
Anthony Volpe makes Yankees Opening Day roster
Volpe, 21, has been the subject of trade inquiries for years, but the Yankees have never engaged in conversations as they have long viewed him as their long-term answer at shortstop. He shined once spring training began, hitting .314/.417/.647 with a 1.064 OPS in 60 plate appearances, with general manager Brian Cashman saying that he was the first player in the building and the last to leave in camp.
Both Walker and Volpe figure to be the face of each franchise for at least the next decade, and each player debuting so early in their careers is only a great thing for baseball. And it’s entirely possible that they are not the only ones, as Milwaukee Brewers top prospect Joey Wiemer is a serious candidate to make the Opening Day roster.
Perhaps other teams follow suit, or will be aggressive in promoting their top prospects to the majors once the season begins. But Walker and Volpe making the Opening Day rosters indicates the new CBA rules that incentive teams to start the season with top prospects is working. And after the Kris Bryant/Chicago Cubs service time manipulation fiasco years ago, it’s about time.