He’s a top baseball prospect. He’s 21 years old. And he’s the starting shortstop for the New York Yankees in his rookie year.
He’s Anthony Volpe.
Volpe (born April 28, 2001) originally committed to play baseball at Vanderbilt after his stellar high school career in New Jersey. But he was selected by the Yankees in the first round of the 2019 MLB Draft and went pro after getting a $2.7 million signing bonus.
It was the right move for the lifelong fan of the Yankees. He played only 275 games through the various levels of the minor-league ball— Rookie, Low-A, High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A— with just 99 total plate appearances with Triple-A Scranton in 2022. He rose up the ranks so fast and played so well at every level that he got invited to Yankees Spring Training. And it was there that he beat out Oswald Peraza for the starting shortstop spot.
Offensively, Volpe is a gifted hitter with good plate discipline and a swift, compact swing. On defense, he’s a flashy shortstop for sure, but he may one day be a second baseman in the future due to limits to his strength and range. But there’s no denying he can field with the best of them.
It’s a big ask of someone so young to step into one of the most coveted roles on one of America’s most hallowed teams. But from current Yankees like Aaron Judge to former legends like Derek Jeter, he has the support of the franchise ad has become a sensation.
Let’s see what the young man has got!
