Thursday marks a sea change for the New York Yankees. Not only is baseball back after a long winter’s slumber, but the Anthony Volpe era will begin in the Bronx. The Yankees faithful have been patiently awaiting the arrival of the highly touted shortstop. Many fans expected they’d have to wait a bit longer. Given the team’s recent history of letting budding stars languish in the minors for too long, seeing them rinse and repeat with Volpe would have been no surprise. However, thanks to a fantastic spring training, Volpe left the Yankees little choice but to let him start the year in the majors.
If Volpe lives up to expectations, not just in his rookie year but beyond, it could change the team’s approach to young talent. If that ends up happening, Opening Day 2023 will be a momentous day in franchise history, regardless of who wins.
Volpe Wows with Outstanding Spring
Going into spring training, it was clear that Anthony Volpe would have to do a lot to earn a roster spot. After the Yankees’ flameout against the Houston Astros in last year’s ALCS, the clamoring for the team to “let the kids play” reached an all-time high. But that fanbase noise alone wouldn’t be enough for Volpe to make the team out of spring. He would have to let his play do the talking. Thankfully, the 21-year-old was more than up to the task. In 18 exhibition games, Volpe hit .302 with three homers, five RBI, five stolen bases, six doubles, and a 1.035 OPS.
Along with these sterling offensive numbers, Volpe made several spectacular defensive plays at short. His two-way talent, along with his age on his first Opening Day and his New Jersey origins, is already drawing comparisons with another Yankees shortstop, Derek Jeter. That guy had a pretty good career in pinstripes too.
Even as Volpe wowed fans, coaches, and the front office alike, the feeling toward the end of spring training was that he’d start the season in Triple-A. No spring training performance could be outstanding enough to get him on the roster. After all, that would spoil the plan the team had for him all along. Stunningly, the Yankees subverted those expectations this past weekend. Manager Aaron Boone informed Volpe that while he still had some developing to do as a player, it would be best for that development to take place in the majors. The exchange was captured on video in Boone’s office, and Volpe appeared simultaneously shocked and elated. It all made for a feel-good moment that may be remembered for years to come.
Welcome to The Show, AV! pic.twitter.com/Gq5VMRvqN0
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) March 26, 2023
The Anthony Volpe Era Begins on Thursday
When the Yankees take on the San Francisco Giants on Thursday, it will mark one of the most exciting developments for the team since the rise of the “Baby Bombers” in 2017 and 2018. We will get a glimpse of the player the Yankees have insisted is a budding superstar.
The team has passed on star shortstops in free agency in recent years. They said no to both Carlos Correa and Manny Machado, signaling that Anthony Volpe is 100 percent worth waiting for. With that being the case, the pressure is on Volpe to live up to expectations. His earlier-than-expected callup shows that the Yankees have full faith in him. Much of the fanbase has had this faith from the start. Now it’s time to start finding out just what the Bombers are getting in the young shortstop. He could be the missing piece to help deliver the Yankees their first World Series title since 2009. The Anthony Volpe era is now upon us. By all indications, it should be a ton of fun.
Photo Credit: Dave Nelson-USA TODAY Sports
Players Mentioned: Anthony Volpe, Derek Jeter, Carlos Correa, Manny Machado
Managers Mentioned: Aaron Boone
