Volpe's 1st spring HR a sign of things to come

BRADENTON, Fla. -- It was the top of the first inning on Thursday, and Anthony Volpe’s stance in the batter’s box drew his manager’s attention. The Yankees’ No. 1 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, appeared to have his lower half set well, showcasing form that projects to drive the ball with power to all fields.

So when Volpe cleared the left-field wall with a leadoff shot to the boardwalk area at LECOM Park, Aaron Boone said that he wasn’t surprised. The 21-year-old’s first Grapefruit League homer got the afternoon started with a bang in New York’s 9-1 victory over the Pirates.

“It’s just been great to play again, with a bunch of great teammates and great guys that have been down here for a while,” Volpe said. “We’ve been training really hard, and everyone’s kind of had these days circled on the calendar to just get back on the field and get back to competing against other [teams], not just each other.”

Volpe hit 21 homers last season in 132 games for Double-A Somerset (18) and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (3), batting a combined .249/.342/.460. Boone said that he sees more power to come from the 5-foot-11, 180-pound infielder.

“He’s strong,” Boone said. “Great lower half, stays in the ground really well. You see him sit down in his legs, and he doesn’t get cheated. You can see him drive the ball out the other way. He’s not tall, but he’s thick and pretty stout.”

Added pitcher Lou Trivino, who pitched a scoreless inning to start Thursday’s game: “I’ve heard some really good things. He’s a great talent, and it was cool to see that on display today. He can definitely handle the bat. He’s a really good defender and seems like a good clubhouse kid.”

Volpe’s homer came off Pittsburgh right-hander Mitch Keller, who said that he was surprised Volpe went after the pitch, an 84.1 mph sweeper that was up and away.

“Out of my hand, I knew it was not a good pitch; it was a ball,” Keller said. “Then he got it. He’s a good hitter.”

Volpe also stroked a sixth-inning single, finishing his day 2-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout. Vying for reps with Isiah Kiner-Falefa and No. 3 prospect Oswald Peraza, Volpe is likely ticketed to begin the season at Triple-A, having registered only 99 plate appearances at that level.

But Volpe isn’t making it an easy call in the early going, stroking four hits in 11 at-bats (.364) with a double, homer and two stolen bases.

“I’ve got high expectations, and he’s come in and gotten after it,” Boone said. “It’s in line with the reputation he’s earned in our organization. He works hard. You can tell he loves the game. I think of our captain, Aaron Judge -- one of the things that stands out is he loves the game. So you get into the little things, watching and looking to find a little bit of an edge -- he’s always doing that.”

During Spring Training, starting players who exit the game early are free to dress in street clothes and leave the ballpark, but Volpe had no interest in doing so. As he did earlier in the week for a road game against the Blue Jays, Volpe remained in the dugout until the final out, cheering on his teammates as they attempted to finish off a no-hitter that was broken up in the ninth.

“For me, it’s not really too much of a story,” Volpe said. “Those guys watched us in the beginning part of the game, and those are guys I’ve played with for the last couple of years. I’m excited for them. It’s a huge opportunity for all of us. I just want to support them any way I can.”