Volpe trying to make the most of 'cool opportunity'

This story was excerpted from Bryan Hoch’s Yankees Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

When Anthony Volpe reflected on his first week in big league Spring Training, one moment stood out above the hundreds of ground balls and batting practice swings.

“Getting a chance to sit with Willie Randolph on the bench, talking to him,” Volpe said.

That one sentence may sum up why the Yankees and their fans should be so excited about the 21-year-old infielder, who is ranked as the organization’s No. 1 prospect and the No. 5 prospect in all of Major League Baseball, per MLB Pipeline.

Volpe got a taste of big league life last spring when he was summoned across the street from New York’s player development complex to appear in five Grapefruit League exhibitions. Now he’s in camp as one of the self-described “Back Half Bombers,” working out alongside prospects such as outfielder Jasson Domínguez and infielder Andres Chaparro.

“This is a cool opportunity,” Volpe said. “That last camp when I was up here for a couple of games, I was trying to make a good impression and play well. Anytime I get out on the field, I’m going to try and compete in the game and be the best player I can be. Whatever happens after that, I can’t really control.”

As he eyed the locker with his assigned No. 77 jersey hanging inside, Volpe reflected upon his path from childhood Yankees fandom to a future in pinstripes. The Watchung, N.J., product fondly recalls attending games in the Bronx during the 2009 World Series championship season, when he’d identified Derek Jeter as his favorite player. Now he’ll get to play alongside the new captain, Aaron Judge.

“I grew up loving and idolizing Derek Jeter,” Volpe said. “Being able to watch and see how my teammates who have gotten called up speak of him, I don’t think there’s a better representation of carrying on the torch than Judge.”

Yankees manager Aaron Boone sees a wide-open competition for at-bats at shortstop this spring, with Oswald Peraza challenging Isiah Kiner-Falefa after a strong September that saw New York's No. 3 prospect draw a postseason start. Despite Volpe having notched only 99 plate appearances at the Triple-A level, Boone has been impressed by his knowledge of the strike zone and ability to drive the ball with authority.

“One thing that’s apparent is this guy loves the game,” Boone said. “This guy is a baseball rat. He has worked incredibly hard this winter, going between the northeast and Tampa. Just by all reports every step of the way, just the kind of leader and charisma in the way people would rally around him at every stop. You get around him a little bit and you have that [feeling], like this is a guy with elite makeup that you hope for.”

Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner has said that he sees the future of the middle infield including Peraza and Volpe. Vowing to be ready whenever that opportunity comes, Volpe said he has been working out at both shortstop and second base this spring.

“Hopefully, the day does come that I get to play for the Yankees, but the work isn’t even close to stopping there,” Volpe said. “There’s a lot of things that I want to accomplish, like being able to play [in] and help them win a World Series. I feel like I couldn’t be in a better organization to help do that.”