Image courtesy: Delbarton’s Anthony Volpe is NJ.com’s Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference Player of the Year for 2017. (John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
“When he came to Arsenal he was a peanut but a peanut with a cannon & lightning hands.” – Barth
Our program has produced some of the best baseball players in the country throughout the years. This year, former Arsenal USA players and Hit Doctor students, including Anthony Volpe, are playing key roles in their teams’ playoff and World Series prospects.
Anthony Volpe is a Filipino American professional baseball player. He attended Delbarton School in Morristown, New Jersey, where he played for the school’s baseball team alongside Jack Leiter, another Arsenal graduate, and former Hit Doctor student. In 2019, Volpe was named the New Jersey High School Player of the Year by Perfect Game. Following his high school success, Volpe went on to play college baseball at Vanderbilt University.
In 2019, the New York Yankees selected Volpe in the first round and signed on June 10 with the 30th overall selection of the 2019 MLB Draft. During the COVID-19 shutdown, which led to the cancellation of the 2020 minor league season, Anthony Volpe used the time to his advantage. He focused on gaining muscle and refining his swing, dedicating himself to intense training and physical conditioning. He paid off this hard work and self-improvement period significantly, as he returned to the field stronger and more skilled than ever.
Anthony Volpe was assigned to the Tampa Tarpons of the Low-A Southeast at the beginning of the 2021 season. The Yankees sent him to the Double-A Eastern League team, the Somerset Patriots, for the 2022 season. After playing for the American League in the All-Star Futures Game in July, Volpe was traded to the Triple-A International League’s Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders on September 2.
Volpe rapidly climbed the MLB prospect rankings due to his outstanding performance in Single-A and Double-A. This impressive production earned him a spring training invite, which ultimately secured him a spot on the Yankees’ Opening Day roster. Volpe made his Major League Baseball debut on March 30th. On April 1, Anthony Volpe recorded his first big league hit in the season’s second game. In a game against the Minnesota Twins on April 14, he launched his first major league home run.
Former Arsenal USA graduate and shortstop Anthony Volpe hit his first MLB home run against the Minnesota Twins.
On May 10, 2023, during a game against the Oakland Athletics, Anthony Volpe hit his first career grand slam, becoming the Yankees’ first rookie shortstop to achieve this feat. Anthony Volpe made history by becoming the 15th MLB rookie to record both 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a single season.
One of our Arsenal/Hit Doctor kids, Anthony Volpe won the Rawlings Golden Glove for Shortstop in his rookie year. He also achieved tremendous offensive stats for the Yankees with 21 Hrs and 24 Stolen Bases.@AnthonyVolpe_ @Yankees @ArsenalUSABB @TopPrep @prepbaseball pic.twitter.com/XeqFfBpqVq
— Arsenal USA (@ArsenalUSABB) November 13, 2023
He was named the American League’s Gold Glove Award winner at shortstop on November 5, 2023. With this accomplishment, he joined his childhood hero, Derek Jeter, as the only other Yankees shortstop to receive this recognition. His stellar defensive performance earned him the AL Gold Glove Award at shortstop, making him the first Yankee rookie to win this prestigious award. Volpe’s remarkable achievements have solidified his reputation as one of the most promising young talents in baseball, showcasing his all-around skills and dedication to the sport. At a young age, Volpe has already earned a Gold Glove Award and achieved a 20-20 season. Despite last year’s overall underwhelming production, he showcased his power with 21 home runs and his speed with 24 steals. Facing the pressure of playing in the Bronx as a rookie, Volpe demonstrated a remarkable ability to ignore the outside noise, a trait he has carried into this year.
Now, Anthony Volpe, the NY Yankees shortstop, is off to a red-hot start this season after winning a Gold Glove as a rookie last year. His ability to quickly adapt to new challenges has significantly impacted the Yankees’ lineup. Volpe needed just a handful of games to prove he could be one of the team’s best hitters. He has swiftly adjusted to become a more patient hitter and seamlessly transitioned into a crucial role for the first-place Yankees.
Yankees vs. Royals on June 12, 2024
Anthony Volpe ranges to his left, fields the ball cleanly, and makes a strong throw to first base to record the first out in the bottom of the 7th inning.