All eyes have been on Anthony Volpe. His tremendous spring training has had fans and people within the organization calling for him to be on the Opening Day roster. In a surprise move, the organization did just that, and he was the New York Yankees' starting shortstop on Opening Day.
He didn't get a hit in the game on Thursday. He and fellow prospect Oswaldo Cabrera were the only two batters who failed to get a hit on Opening Day. Fast-forward to Saturday, and Volpe has put that donut behind him. He singled off San Francisco Giants pitcher Alex Cobb in the second inning.
This will be one that Volpe will never forget. It will be the first of many, as he is thought to have one of the best all-around bats in his draft class.
Volpe has played three seasons in the minor leagues. In his time there, he slashed .263/.376/.505 with 50 home runs and 89 stolen bases. His speed makes him intimidating, as he can swipe a bag at any given moment.
"He's so fun to watch already," one fan tweeted.
"Love this kid," another fan tweeted.
New York Yankees fans have been waiting for this moment. They're also impressed with his early aggressiveness on the basepaths. Anthony Volpe is already 2-2 on stolen base attempts.
As it's nearly impossible to avoid with this organization, he's getting early comparisons to Derek Jeter. Both players started their Yankee careers off with similar hits. Volpe will have to have an insane career if he wants to fill the legendary shoes.
Anthony Volpe could be a staple in this lineup
Anthony Volpe has done nothing but impress the front office coming into the season. In spring training, he struck out against Minnesota Twins pitcher Pablo Lopez on three pitches. In his next at-bat, he took the first pitch he saw from Lopez and launched it for a home run.
He doesn't let the game get too big for him, and his ability to adjust is insane, given how young he is. This is something that some players have, and some don't. It's difficult to teach a player how to adjust, especially given how fast the game moves.
The Yankees should be in good hands with Volpe at shortstop. He's going to develop into a better player with each passing game. The fan base should be excited about the future of their team moving forward.