By: Catherine Tan

The Yankees chose to pass on all the best shortstops for this season. Instead of picking a safe choice to round out the team, they placed their bets on prospect Anthony Volpe.

21-year-old Volpe grew up in Morristown, N.J., 40 miles west of Yankee stadium. He was a huge fan of Derek Jeter, the Yankees’ Hall of Fame former shortstop and captain, and attended Jeter’s last All-Star Game in 2014. Like many young baseball players, Volpe dreamt of playing on the same field as his idol.

In his senior year of high school, Volpe won the state championships and was selected as the 30th overall pick by the Yankees in 2019 with a $2.7 million signing bonus. His first season in the minor leagues was delayed 2021, due to the pandemic, and resulted in a batting average of 0.294 with 27 home runs. Volpe plays for Somerset and lives in his childhood home because of the proximity. He gets to spend time with his family and play the sport he loves.

Volpe is also known for his attitude on the field. Teammates describe him as a leader and “relentless competitor.” Whether he is 0 for 4 with four strikeouts or 4 for 4, Volpe maintains the same positivity and energy, leading and motivating his teammates. He has strong performance and “that extra gear,” and Yankees officials believe he will continue to grow and be a successful player in the major leagues. Volpe was once a young boy idolizing Jeter and dreaming of playing in Yankee stadium; soon he will take his position where Jeter used to play shortstop.

Link:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1MTrdOrIX9k61NQOTSFEYQtN6VOG0CrbW