New York Yankees rookie shortstop Anthony Volpe gave himself every chance to make the Opening Day roster. On Monday, he was told that he had done just that, though the news was not without a bit of theater from Yankees manager Aaron Boone.
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Boone didn't miss the opportunity to make a meal out of delivering the news to Volpe, who smacked 21 home runs and 35 doubles last year in 132 games between AA Somerset and AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Boone called the 21-year old Volpe into his office, where GM Brian Cashman was also present to update the shortstop on his status with the team. At the outset, Boone said it was a "difficult conversation to have to have," and began to make Volpe believe that he had not made the team, citing his lack of experience and the limits on the number of players a roster can carry. "There's always room for development," Boone claimed.
However, it was all a ruse. "I think that that development should happen at the big leagues," Boone stated, before slamming his hands on his desk and saying, "Welcome to New York."
Volpe Makes the Opening Day Roster, Shares the News with His Family
Welcome to The Show, AV! pic.twitter.com/Gq5VMRvqN0
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) March 26, 2023
Volpe grew up in Manhattan, rooting for the Yankees and idolizing Derek Jeter. His family later moved to Morristown, New Jersey, where he played at Delbarton School, an all-male prep school that boasts an impressive resume? of alumni, including Volpe's former teammate Jack Leiter. He was named 2019 New Jersey High School Player of the Year and was drafted 30th overall in the 2019 MLB draft by the Yankees.
Just four years later, Volpe emerged in the dugout where his family was waiting for him. He had just been told by Boone and Cashman that he would be a member of the New York Yankees.
Baseball, you've done it again. @Volpe_Anthony 💙 pic.twitter.com/LuN57Ij2vv
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) March 26, 2023
The expectations for Volpe are high, although he joins a Yankees team that will be behind the eight ball when the season starts. New York will be missing a host of players, including pitchers Frankie Montas, Carlos Rodon and Pedro Severino. Center fielder Harrison Bader is also injured, likely moving Aaron Hicks into the starting lineup.
Still, the rookie isn't thinking too much about anything more than Thursday, when the Yankees will open the season at home against the San Francisco Giants.
"Right now it's crazy," Volpe said after the announcement. "I don't even know what lies ahead, but Thursday I just want to go out and play, and have fun."
Yankees Hope Volpe Can Bring Infield Stability
Photo by J. Conrad Williams, Jr./Newsday RM via Getty Images
New York had an open competition in spring training for who would take the shortstop position, with Volpe trying to beat out fellow rookie Oswald Peraza and veteran Isiah Kiner-Falefa; the latter played in 142 games at shortstop for the Bronx Bombers last year, batting .261 with just four home runs and 48 RBIs.
Kiner-Falefa will be used in a utility role; Peraza did not break camp with the major league club and will start the year at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Prior to 2022, the Yankees had gotten lackluster results for two years from Gleyber Torres. That followed a 2019 season that saw declining production from Didi Gregorius, who played short for the first five years of the post-Derek Jeter era. Gregorius managed just 324 at-bats and hit .238 with a .718 OPS in his season at age 29, and he signed with the Philadelphia Phillies as a free agent that offseason.
Volpe is ranked as the No. 7 prospect in the country according to Baseball Prospectus, and is the No. 14 prospect according to Baseball America. He batted .314 in the Grapefruit League, with three homers and a .417 on-base percentage to win the job, He now will be tasked with helping New York avoid a 15th straight season without a World Series title, which would set a franchise record.
