With his three home runs in the first week of July, Anthony Volpe stood out amidst the Yankees’ offensive letdown. It signals he was able to put his bumpy start on the back burner and ready to surge ahead. This even led Yankees manager Aaron Boone to predict, “He’s in a position to have a really strong second half.”
As the All-Star break approached on Sunday, Anthony Volpe showcased his power by launching his 13th home run, displaying his resilience after battling through a slump that saw his batting average and on-base percentage dip to season lows of .186 and .260, respectively, just a month ago. After consistent improvement, the rookie shortstop has raised his batting average to .213 and his on-base percentage to .287.
Former coach believes in Anthony Volpe’s big return
Amidst the growing public clamor suggesting a demotion to the minor leagues, Anthony Volpe silenced his critics with an impressive display, batting .379 over an 18-game period. This resurgence echoed his previous experience of starting slowly but ultimately finding his rhythm. In fact, it was reminiscent of his remarkable performance last July, when Anthony Volpe delivered a clutch home run on the final day of the first half, securing a playoff berth for the Double-A Somerset Patriots.
Manager Aaron Boone expressed his belief that the rookie shortstop is poised to have a highly productive second half of the season. It is new to intrigued Yankees fans who are just beginning to recognize his talent.
“Thirteen is a pretty good number for the first half … for a guy that’s had his ups and downs and really done a great job of making adjustments,” Boone said.
But Jake Hirst, his former coach, highlighted Anthony Volpe’s adeptness at adapting his approach at the plate he had witnessed multiple times.
Hirst, the hitting coach for Somerset, acknowledged that Anthony Volpe has a deep understanding of his own abilities, which enables him to remain composed and consistent even in the face of difficulties and a lack of desired outcomes.
According to him, Anthony Volpe demonstrates effective communication skills and has a proven ability to process information and translate it into practical adjustments.
“Anthony has a keen sense of who he is, which allows him to stay calm and consistent when the results are hard to come by,” Hirst told, “He communicates well and has a track record of being able to digest information and turn it into actionable adjustments.”
Hirst, who had the opportunity to coach Anthony Volpe during his time at Single-A Hudson Valley, admires the effectiveness of his swing, which enables him to generate surprising power despite his relatively small stature of 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds.
According to Hirst, over the past few offseasons, Anthony Volpe has diligently worked on enhancing his strength and power to fully utilize his physique. Moreover, he has focused on maintaining his weight and strength during the season. Hirst noted that Anthony Volpe’s exceptional mobility plays a crucial role in his elastic swing.
Volpe on a home run spree
Anthony Volpe’s proactive approach is exemplified by his impressive home run trot. Despite the significant attention given to his exceptional speed, he currently shares the second spot on the team’s home run leaderboard with Gleyber Torres, trailing only Aaron Judge.
Boone acknowledged Anthony Volpe’s accomplishment of hitting thirteen home runs in the first half, considering it a commendable number. He also recognized Volpe’s ability to navigate through the highs and lows of his rookie season and make necessary adjustments along the way.
According to Boone, Anthony Volpe’s display of power in the minors has prepared him for success in that aspect at the major league level. While not completely surprised by his power-hitting, Boone emphasized that Anthony Volpe’s competitive spirit aligns with the team’s overall mentality and dedication to giving their best effort.
“He’s hit for power [in the minors], so I can’t say I’m overly surprised. I talk about this team and their compete, Anthony embodies that.”
Hirst noted that Anthony Volpe demonstrated excellent energy transfer from his body to the bat, resulting in the potential for surprising power, as observed in his performance.
Despite showing consistent power, Anthony Volpe’s challenges in other areas, such as his .174 batting average and .529 OPS in May, have provided valuable learning experiences that a smooth and uninterrupted journey to success wouldn’t have offered.
Volpe’s turnaround narrative led to Lawson criticism
Coincidentally, Anthony Volpe’s revival coincided with an unexpected turn of events that thrust him into the spotlight.
The narrative surrounding Anthony Volpe and his former teammate Austin Wells identifying a flaw in Volpe’s batting stance while reviewing old footage and enjoying a meal of chicken parmesan on an off day became the primary focus of the criticism directed at hitting coach Dillon Lawson.
However, it was not the only factor contributing to Lawson’s dismissal following Sunday’s game. Anthony Volpe expressed, before the coaching change was announced, that throughout the season, adjustments are inevitable, and while some may be successful and others may not, players experience ups and downs. He acknowledged that the team has not performed at its best and believes there is still room for improvement.
Boone displayed his confidence in Anthony Volpe by reinstating him at the leadoff position for three games in the previous week. After experiencing a downturn in his batting performance (going 0-for-11), he was moved down to the eighth spot in the lineup. However, he quickly bounced back and delivered a decisive two-run home run off Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks.
Anthony Volpe explained that the opposing pitcher initially utilized soft pitches away, but then primarily relied on fastballs inside throughout the game. He acknowledged being slightly late in his timing while trying to catch up to those fastballs.
Boone intends to maintain Anthony Volpe’s position toward the lower part of the lineup when the games resume on Friday, aiming to sustain the team’s batting order depth.
However, Anthony Volpe doesn’t put much significance on the results. He feels that he consistently hit the ball hard during those three games, but unfortunate circumstances led to them being caught by the opposing fielders.
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