The Yankees have officially brought Anthony Volpe into the fold and now, as Jim Carrey’s Riddler said in “Batman Forever,” the real game begins.
The pressure is already on for the young shortstop and he hasn’t even debuted yet. Being a major league player is already a phenomenal experience but there’s something special about being a star shortstop. To succeed and be considered one of the elites at that position is incredibly hard.
Think about it. The number of top-tier shortstops in Major League Baseball is small, probably less than ten. The Yankees are trusting Volpe to establish himself in this exclusive group. Out of the spring training frying pan and right into the roaring bonfire of the regular season.
Oh, and how about that because he’s a Yankee, the way-too-early Derek Jeter comparisons are unavoidable. The season hasn’t even started, he’s not even 22 years old, and yet already has Hall of Fame expectations. What’s next? Seeing how his Twitter emoji game compares to Didi Gregorius?
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Let’s cool our jets. First, comparing prospects to pros is only fun for about two minutes on draft day. Any further comparisons after the fact are ridiculous until someone actually plays.
Plus, let’s not forget that Jeter’s Yankees debut on May 29, 1995 wasn’t anything to write home about. He went 0 for 5 with a strikeout as the Yankees lost to the Mariners in extra innings. Jeter followed that with two hits the next game but everyone saw the same thing: A talented prospect who had the talent, but wasn’t done developing.
Gregorius’ Bronx debut in 2015 as Jeter’s primary successor was even worse. He was hitless through his first two games and didn’t really establish himself as a fan favorite for another two years.
Now, Volpe will all but certainly take the field on Thursday when the Yankees face the Giants on Opening Day. Here’s where the Jeter bar is a little higher. The Captain hit his first career home run on Opening Day in Cleveland in 1996 and also had a hit in New York’s home opener a week later.
The Yankees know what they’re doing with their young prospect. Volpe is professional beyond his years and flat-out earned this opportunity. He’s batting .314 with three home runs and five steals in spring training, plus a 1.064 OPS. His effort is no different in the field.
Will there be some regression? Yes, of course. Volpe’s talent doesn’t make him any less prone to slumps than anyone else. But is this just another Kyle Higashioka spring training mirage? Absolutely not.
Volpe is not going to be the next Derek Jeter, nor Gregorius. Maybe a mashup of the two? It doesn’t matter. It’s too early.
At the end of the day, Volpe is going to be Volpe and forge his own path in Yankees history. Instead of anticipating one expectation or another from him, this writer has a better idea: Sit back, relax, and just enjoy his game.
Follow ESNY on Twitter @elitesportsny
