Aaron Judge praises top prospect Anthony Volpe: ‘If you’re the best player...you should be up helping the New York Yankees’
Anthony Volpe has been the talk of Tampa.
The Yankees’ top prospect came into camp riding the motivation from a reported phone call between himself and GM Brian Cashman where he was told he’s in the mix to start at shortstop for the Yankees on Opening Day.
The 21-year-old is 6-for-17 (.353) with a homer, two doubles, two stolen bases and has made a series of flashy defensive plays from both shortstop and second base. The New Jersey native is in the thick of a position battle trying to fend off incumbent Isiah Kiner-Falefa and fellow prospect Oswald Peraza.
However, if the opinion of the clubs’ captain holds any water, Volpe may have a leg up on the competition.
“I think he’s got all the tools,” said Aaron Judge after Wednesday’s game against the Cardinals at the Yankees’ spring complex. “He checks a lot of boxes defensively, offensively. He’s got the speed... My thing has always been, if you’re the best player, it shouldn’t matter your age. You should be up helping the New York Yankees.”
Because of Volpe’s lack of Triple-A at-bats — 99 total in 2022 — the odds were and still may be stacked against him breaking camp with the Bombers pointing to Peraza — who made a postseason start in 2022 ALCS — as the favorite.
And it’s clear that Volpe is impressing the right people in spring camp.
“He’s a good player,” Yankees skipper Aaron Boone said on Sunday. “I can’t say I’m surprised, because I think we all expected him to handle it all well. Just a good player that loves the game that’s into the game that’s into all the little things about the game...
“We’re paying attention.”
Volpe was named MLB Pipelines hitting prospect of the year in 2021 when he slashed .294/.423/.604 with 27 homers and 86 RBI.
The shortstop got off to a slow start in 2022 which led to his .249/.342/.460 slash line. However, he totaled 21 homers and stole 50 bases, the first minor league player to reach those marks since Braves’ legend Andruw Jones in 1995 and hit 289/.377/.532 from May 14 to Sept. 8 earning a promotion to Triple-A during the process.
The Yankees’ shortstop competition figures to come down to the wire and Volpe has forced himself right into the middle of the conversation.
