TAMPA — Anthony Volpe may show to be a really worthwhile commerce chip, maybe this July or someday later.
However the lifelong Yankee fan, who grew up in New Jersey and whose favourite participant was Derek Jeter, nonetheless has the identical objective as he did as a child, when he wrote in yearbooks that he needed to be the shortstop for the Yankees.
“It’s been my dream to play for the precise Yankees and never simply be a minor leaguer,’’ Volpe mentioned Tuesday. “I can’t actually management something that occurs from right here on out, however I’m positively gonna work as exhausting as I presumably can to attempt to make that a actuality.”
That seemingly received’t occur till at the least 2023, however the 20-year-old is definitely so much nearer to getting there than he was at this level a 12 months in the past, when he was getting into his first full skilled season.
Although loads of individuals across the group are ready to see when he’s able to get to the majors, one other Yankee prospect has been assured about Volpe’s main league future for even longer.
Beck Manner, a 22-year-old right-hander who completed final season with Volpe at Excessive-A Hudson Valley, mentioned he’s had Volpe pegged for the majors since earlier than the shortstop was even a youngster.
“Oh my gosh, he was like the best participant ever,’’ Manner mentioned on the Yankees’ minicamp at their participant growth complicated. “Tremendous-quick, super-fast [and] hitting dwelling runs.”
The 2 performed in opposition to one another within the GoWags baseball program, with Manner in Harrisburg, Pa., and Volpe in Watchung, N.J.
“I’m older than him, so he’d play our crew and hit dwelling runs as a 12-year-old and match proper in,’’ Manner mentioned.
Requested if he thought Volpe had large league potential even then, Manner mentioned, “All of us had been considering that. … He confirmed it.”
The 2 had been teammates collectively at Hudson Valley a 12 months in the past, when Volpe grew to become some of the prized prospects within the sport.
“He’s larger and sooner now,’’ Manner mentioned. “That’s the one distinction. However he’s within the minors. He’s started working his method up.”
Volpe is wanting ahead to persevering with that course of after beginning his skilled profession in 2019, when he was drafted thirtieth general out of Delbarton Excessive College and went to Pulaski within the Rookie League.
The minor league season was worn out in 2020, however he made up for misplaced time by dominating the competitors at each Low-A Tampa after which Hudson Valley final 12 months.
He's seemingly ticketed for Double-A Somerset to begin the 2022 season, with one other extremely regarded prospect, Oswald Peraza, anticipated to be at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Volpe, for his half, insisted he’s not centered on when he may get to The Bronx.
“It’s robust to consider as a result of I’m so completely satisfied being current within the second, seeing all the fellows once more after the offseason,’’ Volpe mentioned. “It’s robust for me to consider thus far sooner or later.”
Most scouts imagine Volpe is at the least a 12 months away from the majors, though Peraza might need an opportunity to make his MLB debut later within the 12 months.
Basic supervisor Brian Cashman acknowledged the presence of each Volpe and Peraza has performed a job in how the entrance workplace approaches the necessity for a shortstop this offseason, since crew execs imagine one or each may contribute within the majors quickly.
Requested the way it felt to be on the Yankees’ radar, Volpe mentioned, “I assume you’d somewhat be on it than not. I don’t actually learn an excessive amount of of that form of stuff. I assume I'd say it’s cool me and Oswald, it looks like, [are] getting seems [and] probabilities.”
His extra rapid objective for this 12 months is to “have a clear, wholesome season; play each sport exhausting and win as a lot as we will.”
New hitting coach Dillon Lawson, beforehand the group’s minor league hitting coordinator, praised the “consistency” of Volpe’s swing and general play and perspective.
As for his strategy on the plate, Lawson referred to as it “mature.”
“It’s elevated,’’ Lawson mentioned. “He has the power to take a sport plan and never get distracted from it. He’s forward of his age.”
One other Yankee pitching prospect, Hayden Wesneski, praised Volpe’s mindset.
“He handles stress nicely,’’ Wesneski mentioned. “That’s what makes him completely different. He loves it. I hope nobody ever ruins it for him. You'll be able to inform he enjoys it, the way in which he strikes round and brings power every single day.”
As for any comparisons anybody may make about him and Jeter, Volpe laughed and mentioned, “There'll by no means be one other Jeter.”
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