New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe understands what it means to play in the Bronx. The Watchung, NJ native grew up rooting for the Yanks from across the Hudson River while idolizing their legendary team captain, Derek Jeter.
At 23 years old, Volpe commands the same position as his childhood hero – a responsibility that he’s fully embraced the weight of. Gearing up for just his third season in pinstripes, Volpe has already taken on the role of a prominent locker room leader in the Yankee clubhouse.
George Lombard Jr., one of the club’s most highly regarded prospects, joined the Yankees in Tampa this year for his second taste of big league camp. When asked on Tuesday about which players he’s learned the most from, he started with Volpe.
“It’s hard to name one guy, but for sure, some of them like Anthony Volpe,” Lombard said. “He’s been great. Especially on the defensive side, everybody knows how good he’s been. Working with him, learning from him defensively… it’s been a great experience.”
New York selected Lombard Jr. with their first-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. The middle-infield prospect has since burgeoned into the club’s No. 2 prospect, showing off his unique blend of defense, speed, and baseball IQ with High-A Hudson Valley last season at just 19 years old.
He then fired up the Yankee faithful with an excellent showing in spring training, hitting .240 with a pair of homers before getting reassigned to minor league camp on March 10.
But before Lombard even made his professional debut, he received a warm welcome to the organization from the major league club’s franchise shortstop.
“[Volpe] reached out to me the day I was drafted,” Lombard told Steven Cusumano on March 13, “telling me ‘congrats’ and that they’re happy to have me. From day one, he’s been great. Especially this spring, we’ve had a chance to spend a lot more time together… He’s always been there for me when I’ve needed him, so he’s been great.”
Volpe, a humble defenseman with a team-first mentality and an unwavering love for America’s pastime, was a natural leader from a very young age. Jeff Petty, one of Volpe’s former travel-team coaches, once noted that the shortstop’s “leadership qualities were as good as I’ve seen, and I’ve been doing this for 18 years.”
The former top prospect won the Yankees’ starting shortstop job ahead of the 2023 season, where he took the field on Opening Day with the resolve of a ten-year vet. During his first summer in pinstripes, he had the chance to gain valuable insight from All-Star teammates such as Anthony Rizzo, Giancarlo Stanton, and Aaron Judge.
The Yankee captain took the newcomer under his wing during his rookie season. Judge memorably covered the cost of Volpe’s first suit and took him to a New York Rangers game in an effort to welcome him to the major league squad. And by the end of their first season together, Judge had high praise for how Volpe carried himself on and off the field.
“He’s a great teammate, a great individual, he has great parents who raised him,” Judge said of Volpe last season “He’s someone who, day in and day out, you want to have in your corner. He’s dedicated to his craft, and dedicated to whoever walks in this building. We’re lucky to have him.”
Over two seasons in the Bronx, Volpe has boasted elite defense while his bat has dragged steadily behind. However, he made a monumental leap during the 2024 postseason, hitting .286 with an impressive .815 OPS across 14 October games. In the defining swing of his career thus far, Volpe crushed a go-ahead grand slam in Game 4 of the World Series to keep the Yankees alive against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Meeting him at home plate was Judge, who leaped in the air to celebrate with his teammate.
During his rookie season, Volpe said of his mentors, “If I was ever in that position, I’d definitely want to pay those guys back for what they’ve done for me.”
Back then, Volpe was the new guy. Now, he enters the 2025 season as not only the captain of the infield but one of the most tenured Yankees on the current roster. As one of the leaders of this year’s squad, it seems that he’ll instead have an opportunity to pay the favor forward and help build up the next generation of Yankee talent.
