While this season has absolutely not gone according to plan for the New York Yankees, who enter September at 64-69 and last place in the AL East, there have been a few bright spots.
One such bright spot is shortstop Anthony Volpe.
Volpe, who the Yankees drafted in the first round of the 2019 MLB Draft, made the team out of spring training at just 21 years old. While the move was seen as slightly questionable at the time, it paid off for the Yankees and for Volpe. With his three-run home run in the ninth inning of New York’s 4-3 loss to the Detroit Tigers, Volpe became the first rookie in Yankees history to record 20+ home runs and 20+ stolen bases in one year.
1st Rookie to record a 20/20 Season in Yankees History
Congratulations, @Volpe_Anthony 🙌 pic.twitter.com/Zjp1kXTHSf
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 31, 2023
Volpe is only hitting .216, but the home run and stolen base numbers stand out, as he’s third on the Yankees in total home runs and leading the team in stolen bases. Volpe has no shortage of accolades in his rookie season. On May 10 against the Oakland Athletics, he became the first Yankee rookie shortstop to hit a grand slam, and also the youngest player in franchise history to hit a grand slam at Yankee Stadium.
It’s particularly cool to see Volpe doing this, considering he was born in New York City and grew up in New Jersey in a family with Yankees season tickets.
