Anthony Volpe: Fan to Player
Anthony Volpe is living a young baseball player's dream by playing shortstop for the New York Yankees. Volpe, now 23 years old, grew up in Manhattan and New Jersey. He played baseball from a very young age and was a Yankee fan from an even younger age. He went to Yankee games a lot as a kid, and when he was eight, Volpe had the chance to be there when they won their 27th World Series in 2009. Recently, photos have surfaced of a young Volpe at the 2009 World Series parade in New York.
Volpe started playing baseball at five years old. He has said on multiple occasions that his favorite player growing up was Derek Jeter. Jeter was any kid's idol who lived in the great state of New York. Jeter was the star shortstop for the New York Yankees from 1995-2014. He was one of the best players to ever play the game of baseball. For that reason, it was normal for kids to want to be like Jeter, a shortstop for the New York Yankees playing in the World Series. Nobody knew at the time, but one of those kids' dreams would come true.
In 2019, Volpe committed to play baseball at Vanderbilt University, the number one-ranked school in college baseball, but later that year, he was drafted out of high school by the New York Yankees. This had been Volpe's dream since he was a kid, so obviously he chose to go to the Yankees and skip college baseball. At just 20 years old, in 2021, Volpe made his first career start in the minor leagues. Volpe put up good numbers in single A, so later in 2021 he was brought up to double-A. After playing in double-A, he moved up to triple-A in 2022. Then in 2023, Volpe was invited to the Yankees’ spring training to compete for the starting shortstop spot, and on March 26, 2023, he got the news he was going to the Major League.
Anthony Volpe had an impressive rookie season, hitting 21 home runs and stealing 24 bases. Volpe made history that year being the only Yankee rookie ever to have a 20/20 season. A 20/20 season is when a player hits 20 home runs and steals 20 bases. There are only 19 current MLB players that have had a 20/20 season. Despite Volpe’s efforts, the Yankees did not make the postseason that year. While Volpe was able to play shortstop for the Yankees, he wasn't able to make it to the World Series. That changed in the 2024 season though.
While Volpe’s stats weren't as impressive in the 2024 season, the team's results were better. The Yankees flew past the Royals in the division series and then the Guardians in the championship series. Then they arrived in the World Series for the first time since Anthony Volpe was a kid at the Yankees parade in 2009. In an interview, Volpe was asked how it felt to be able to play in the World Series for the Yankees, and he said, “It’s a dream come true, but it’s better than anything I ever dreamed.”
In the series' first three games, Volpe wasn't looking great. The Yankees ended up losing those three games and were down three games to none. Then in game four at Yankee Stadium, Volpe did something incredible. In the bottom of the third Volpe came up with the bases loaded. Then on the first pitch of the at-bat, Volpe crushed one to left field. After the game, Volpe said, “I think I pretty much blacked out as soon as I saw it go over the fence.” He had hit the first Yankees grand slam in a World Series since 1998. Volpe ended up going two-for-three with two stolen bases in the same game. While the Yankees went on to lose the World Series, Volpe was able to live out his lifelong dream of being a Yankee.
By Adam Berardi