Anthony Volpe, the New York Yankees’ numero uno prospect, recalled a moment from his teenage days that still lives fresh in his memories.
New York Yankees’ top prospect for the 2023 MLB season, Anthony Volpe, is ruling the ongoing spring training with an exceptional display of raw skill set. The 21-year-old has the most amount of hits after Jasson Dominguez up until now. Moreover, Volpe’s defensive skills at infield have got the fans and the critics talking highly of the prospect.
Drafted in 2019 by the New York Yankees organization, Anthony Volpe worked his way up through the minor leagues to earn a place in the major league spring training. The young boy took every major pitcher head on fearlessly and calmly. Meanwhile, Volpe recalled a childhood moment that changed his life and which he thinks is responsible for bringing him to the center stage of MLB.
Anthony Volpe Recalls Witnessing Derek Jeter’s Final Game That Changed His Life
New York Yankees prospect Anthony Volpe recently revealed how Derek Jeter’s final moments in MLB left him in awe as a teenager and inspired him to pursue a career in the sport. Volpe has often drawn comparisons with the Yankees legend Derek Jeter due to his work ethic and the fact that Volpe plays the same position as Jeter. However, the 21-year-old is far from reaching Jeter’s stature, as he has yet to pave his way into the majors.
Meanwhile, Anthony Volpe, in an interview with New York Post, shared how he watched Jeter’s final game at Yankee Stadium in 2014 from the stands. He was only 14 years old at the time but already had aspirations of playing professional baseball. He said that as a child, he did not attend many major league games. But as fate had planned, he somehow attended Derek Jeter’s final game at the Yankees stadium, wherein he witnessed Derek’s iconic last walk-off home run. After watching Jeter’s emotional farewell to the Yankees and the game of baseball, Volpe became even more determined to pursue his dreams.
Volpe, Peraza Remain In Contention For Shortstop Position As Kiner-Falefa Drops Out
Meanwhile, Anthony Volpe is fighting the battle of his life in the ongoing spring training. He is competing with Oswald Peraza and Isiah Kiner-Falefa to claim the starting shortstop position. However, Isiah seems to have dropped out of the race, as he is all set to play in the outfield in the coming week. Hence, Oswald Peraza remains Volpe’s only competitor.
Oswald Peraza is a tough opponent to beat for Anthony Volpe, as he receives immense backing from the Yankees front office. Moreover, Peraza’s defensive skills and sizeable major-league experience give him a sharp edge over Volpe. However, even if Anthony somehow loses out on the spot on the opening day roster, he is highly likely to get called on at the later stage of the tournament.