Captain Aaron Judge is currently shouldering the responsibility of guiding the New York Yankees to their next World Series championship. While Judge had eight years left on his contract to fulfill the job, the future of the franchise beyond that will rely on the upcoming generation.
Finding Aaron Judge’s successor is undoubtedly an uphill task. However, the same held true when Derek Jeter quit in 2014. Then, the New York Yankees successfully found an apt successor in Judge. And now, the captain is seeing glimpses of the franchise’s future leader in young and dynamic shortstop Anthony Volpe.
Anthony Volpe Turns Heads With Sensational Start To Sophomore Season!
When Anthony Volpe debuted as a rookie in 2023, many doubted his capabilities due to a lack of substantial minor-league numbers. However, the kid tackled the major league well and finished with a golden glove. Regardless, the pressure to improve his offensive numbers in the sophomore season forced Volpe to grind in the off-season. He channelized his rookie season learnings to tweak swing mechanics and adjust stance and bat positioning. Needless to say, the grind worked as Volpe started the season with a .375 average, two home runs, six RBIs, and three stolen bases in 12 games thus far. He is currently leading the league in batting average and WAR. Moreover, the shortstop’s recent three-run home run against Marlins earned him heavy praise from Yankees captain Aaron Judge.
Aaron Judge referred to Anthony Volpe as one of the future leaders of the franchise. He was largely impressed with the kid’s mentality and his ability to stay unfazed by uncontrollable circumstances. “He doesn’t change. The guy’s consistent every single day — hot start, bad start, it doesn’t matter,” said Judge. Besides Judge, opposition manager Skip Schumaker called Volpe a superstar shortstop in the making. While the Marlins coach didn’t love to see his team getting hammered, as a baseball fan, he enjoyed watching a 22-year-old thriving under the city lights. Additionally, Yankees hitting coach James Rowson also applauded Volpe’s approach and revealed how maintaining adjustments is the most difficult thing for any hitter. And the infielder has exceeded expectations in that aspect. “A lot of times, people try to make adjustments, but it’s the ability to maintain those adjustments that make you great,” added Rowson.
Yankees To Promote Anthony Volpe To Leadoff After Hot Start?
With DJ LeMahieu on the sidelines due to a foot injury, the New York Yankees promoted second baseman Gleyber Torres to the leadoff hitter position. However, Torres hasn’t been hot just yet. While he is struggling to connect balls, Anthony Volpe has been unstoppable so far with record hits and batting average. However, Aaron Boone is not inclined to make any changes.
Aaron Boone admitted that Anthony Volpe’s future in the coming 10 years remains at the top of the lineup. However, he does not want to mess with the kid’s batting position. Boone wants to let Volpe be where he is at and only make changes if he hits a drastic form slump. “It’ll be a little bit fluid but not something I’m in a real hurry to do,” said Boone.
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