Anthony Volpe’s improvement is way ahead of plan in a significant Yankees boon

Anthony Volpe has skipped a step. He has progressed from a talented but unrefined rookie to a veteran in Year 2.

“I feel like I’ve seen a handful of guys his age kind of do their thing, but not that quick,” said Trevino, who is 29 years old. “He is responding to the game on a different level [than last year]; he is responding to the changes he has made. “It’s so much fun to watch from my seat.”

Volpe scored the equivalent of a triple-double in a slog of a rubber match on Sunday, which was littered with walks and errors. He recorded three hits. He swiped two important bases. And for the second consecutive day — and the second straight Yankees victory — he made the critical defensive play as the Yankees trounced the Blue Jays 8-3.

“What hasn’t he done?” When asked what impressed him most about Volpe, Giancarlo Stanton responded. “He’s been all over the defense. He hits the ball all over the field. He’s causing chaos on the bases for the other side.”

Stanton dealt the most significant blow as the Yankees won their third consecutive series to begin the season against a 2023 playoff club. I pondered in a post a few days ago how long the Yankees could stick with Stanton after his difficulties from last year carried over into this season, with 13 strikeouts in 25 plate appearances. But he had three singles and a wall-scraper short-porch homer in a 9-8 victory Saturday night, followed by a no-doubter grand slam that put the Yankees up 5-1 in the third inning Sunday.

The Yankees’ success will be determined in part by the strength of their supporting cast behind Aaron Judge and Juan Soto. Judge and Soto, assuming they are healthy, appear to be locks for success. But are the last two days an indication that Stanton has regained his lower half strength and balance and is ready to mash them?

Can Anthony Rizzo join the middle of the lineup? DJ LeMahieu was fielding and sprinting on the field before Sunday’s game. Gleyber Torres is taking long at-bats with little to show for it so far. Alex Verdugo and Austin Wells are left-handed batters who have struggled early in the season.

However, in all of this, Volpe may be the most important player. For what he means by 2024. And what he intends going ahead. For what he brings to the plate, but also for the potential to be the Yankees’ best all-around player.

“He’s starting to look like that complete, well-rounded, really good player,” Boone said.

Volpe struggled at the plate during his first season, hitting.209 and striking out 27.9 percent of the time. He worked hard in the winter to flatten his swing so he could get to upper fastballs while using the entire field.

Last season, he pulled the ball in 45.6% of his at-bats with the ball in play. It is 26.9 this year, and two of his three hits on Sunday were hit to right field. He has struck out in only 18.1% of his plate appearances. He is hitting.424 with a 1.092 OPS after 10 games.

Volpe won a Gold Glove and stole 24 bases during the 2023 season, adding to his clubhouse’s already positive feelings about his work ethic and personality. Even in those areas, there is refinement, maturity, and progress. Volpe’s backhand and force out at second of Jurassic Daniel Vogelbach was critical to the Yankees preserving their 9-2 lead on Saturday.

On Sunday, with the Yankees leading 6-3, Volpe made a great sliding stop and pop up to throw out Kevin Kiermaier in the eighth inning, preventing the Blue Jays from launching another late-inning rally. Perhaps the biggest compliment you can offer a defender is to ask teammates who they want to see hit the ball to in a crucial situation. Volpe might get the Yankees’ vote right now.

Also, by giving up so much of their large lead on Saturday, the Yankees were forced to rely on Ian Hamilton and Clay Holmes. Boone wanted to avoid both Sundays. Volpe made this possible. He led off the bottom of the eighth with an opposite-field bullet single, then stole second and third to score the first of two Yankees insurance runs in the inning, increasing the lead from 6-3 to 8-3.

“Those little plays make a huge difference,” Holmes explained. “That’s the next stage for him—those game-changing moments that affect not only today’s game, but tomorrow’s game. This is when you add even more value to the team. And he obviously has that in him.”

Volpe is a sophomore who plays like a senior. He turns 23 in three weeks and exudes experience in Year 2.