Yankees top prospect Anthony Volpe has looked terrific throughout spring training. So good, in fact, that despite only playing a handful of games above Double-A, he’s convinced at least one teammate he’s ready for the big leagues.
But once the 21-year-old finally lands in the Bronx, can he stick at shortstop? One American League scout doesn’t think so. Once the dust settles, they think Volpe will make his mark in the big leagues as a second baseman. It comes with a decent comparison, too (via New York Post):
He’s always reminded me of Dustin Pedroia. He’s on the small side, like Dustin, yet he hits everything with authority. And he plays the game like he’s on fire, which [Pedroia] did, too.
Volpe heard about that comparison. Growing up as a Yankees fan living in New Jersey, he gave a typical response:
I hadn’t heard that, but I definitely try to play that way. It’s very humbling to hear that comparison, because that’s how I’ve always played: hard. And I know that’s what Pedroia was known for.
I definitely paid attention to him. I didn’t like him because of the team he played on, but I loved the kind of player he was and how he put on laser shows [at the plate]. He was fun to watch.
I didn’t root for, or even like, him, but I respected him. As an undersized guy who always barreled up balls, he was the kind of player someone like me would want to emulate.
No Yankees fan wants to hear about the organization’s top prospect compared to a lifetime Red Sox player. However, Volpe having a similar career to Pedroia (minus the career-ending knee injury) wouldn’t be too terrible. After all, the former second baseman was a four-time All-Star, a four-time Gold Glove winner, won AL Rookie of the Year, won an AL MVP, and was a two-time World Series winner.
Yea, everyone in the Bronx would sign up for something like that. But for right now, the focus is on whether he’ll actually crack the Opening Day roster or not. And if he doesn’t, the next question will be figuring out when Volpe lands in the Bronx for good in the near future.
Matt Musico can be reached at matt.musico@xlmedia.com and you can follow him on Twitter: @mmusico8.
