By: Tina Wu

Although the Yankees were given some top-notch players to recruit before the start of the season, they accepted none. Instead, they drafted Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Anthony Volpe.

The Yankees have always wanted better defense at a low price. Kiner-Falefa and Anthony Volpe were good choices, as they signed contracts for around $4.7 million and around $2.7 million. On the other hand, Carlos Correa, Corey Seager, Trevor Story, and Javier Báez signed for $35.1 million and $23.3 million yearly.

Hal Steinbrenner, the Yankees’ managing general partner, announced the team’s other motive for not drafting the good players in March. “We do have two incredible prospects that I’m excited to give a chance to,” he said.

Coincidentally, one of the prospects, Volpe, was a Yankees fan growing up. He lived 40 miles west of Yankee Stadium, and went to his idol Derek Jeter’s final All-Star Game with his father. He is now believed to be the Yankees’ shortstop of the future. Volpe was great offensively and defensively, and successfully stole 89.7 percent of the bases he attempted to this year.

Before the game on Saturday, Volpe replied to Steinbrenner’s remark. “That’s obviously great to hear from someone like that,” he said. “I feel like I have a long way to go and this is obviously a great step in my career, but there’s still a lot of work to be done.”

“Even when I hopefully get there one day,” he continued, “there’s still a lot more work to be done to be the player I want to be and hopefully win a lot of rings here.”

His life goal is to compete in the Yankee Stadium, just like Derek Jeter. He says, “that’s the end goal that I’m working for, and [I’m] super excited.”

Max Burt, one of Volpe’s closest friends, says that the 21-year-old was “built for New York.”