The Kid Gets the Call

A 21-year-old from New Jersey who dreamt of becoming the next Derek Jeter has been given the opportunity of a lifetime. On Sunday March 26 Yankees top prospect, Anthony Volpe has been called up to the big leagues.

Volpe was informed by Yankees manager Aaron Boone that he made the opening day roster. With only 22 games at the triple-A level this is a big jump for Volpe. However, he has proved himself to the Steinbrenner family throughout his first major league spring training camp. Volpe was competing for the job with teammates Oswald Peraza and last year’s shortstop Isaiah Kiner-Falefa. In 55 at bats Volpe averaged .309, with three home runs, five RBI’s, a 1.033 OPS, and five stolen bases. Although this is a small sample size in comparison to the 162-game season, Volpe rose to the occasion and outperformed his teammates in all five of those categories, earning himself the opening day shortstop position.

Many fans have been saying that Anthony Volpe is going to be the next Derek Jeter. That would be the perfect fairytale story for Volpe and the fans. Growing up a local kid in Watchung, New Jersey like many kids, Volpe was a Yankee fan who idolized Derek Jeter. As a shortstop himself, Volpe wished he could grow up to be like his idol one day and play for the New York Yankees. Like Jeter, Volpe was the Yankees first round draft pick at the young age of 18. When asked about the comparison to Jeter in a spring training interview, Volpe responded with a laugh, “It’s humbling to hear but I mean I grew up a huge fan of Derek Jeter and I think there’s never going to be another player like him”. As news broke that Volpe earned the job, former captain Derek Jeter tweeted Volpe saying, “Congratulations. There’s nothing like playing shortstop for the New York Yankees”.

Quickly becoming a fan favorite Anthony Volpe has not disappointed. The young shortstop has shown that he deserves to be here for many reasons. Receiving praise from Yankee manager, Aaron Boone for his competitiveness at bat, speed on the basepath, as well as his defensive abilities. The rookie is flying his way into history already, not once but twice. Volpe is just the fifth player since 1901 to steal a base in each of his first three career games. He is also the youngest player in Yankee history to steal three bases in one game. Volpe currently has eight stolen bases which leaves him tied with Jorge Mateo for the third most stolen bases amongst players in the American League.

Regardless of his speed on the base path, on April 22 Anthony Volpe came up big during his at bat in the 8th inning. In a nail-biting game against one of the Yankees rivals the Toronto Blue Jays, Volpe hit a go-ahead two-run homerun. Following his big hit, the fans at Yankee Stadium were roaring for Volpe. This is when he received his very first curtain call. Unsure of what to do at the time, Volpe admits that Aaron Boone had to tell him to step outside of the dugout to take the curtain call and acknowledge the fans. When describing the experience Volpe says, “It’s pretty crazy, and to have one is pretty cool”.