Credit: Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

Anthony Volpe, New York Yankees promising shortstop and the potential future of the franchise, registered a second straight inconsistent season in 2024. He had to compromise on his power to induce more contact which helped him with hits to an extent in the regular season.

Defensively, Anthony Volpe was better compared to his rookie season in 2023. Regardless, the shortstop is playing his career first playoffs this year and his offensive production in first two games of American League Division Series (ALDS) against Kansas City Royals was good enough to inject a renewed belief into the New York Yankees.

Anthony Volpe’s Hard Hits Crucial For Yankees’ Playoff Run

Anthony Volpe puts his hand on his chest as he rounds the bases after hitting a game-tying homer. Twitter NYY
Anthony Volpe, the New York Yankees’ young shortstop, is showing glimpses of his potential in the 2024 ALDS against the Kansas City Royals. At 23, Volpe’s postseason debut comes after a somewhat inconsistent regular season where he sacrificed power in favor of more contact at the plate. Although his overall offensive output hasn’t matched the lofty expectations many had when he was first promoted to the majors in 2023, Volpe’s at-bats in the first two games of the ALDS have been promising. In Game 1, despite making a costly throwing error that contributed to two Kansas City runs, Volpe hit a 100-mph opposite-field shot that was close to being a home run, followed by another hard-hit ball in his second at-bat.

Later, in Game 2, he registered his first hit of the series, a sharply hit single to left field. He followed that up with another walk and consistently hit balls with exit velocities over 100 mph, including two over 105 mph. Having said that, these performances have sparked hope within the Yankees organization that Volpe’s postseason experience could be a turning point in his career. Special assistant Jim Hendry, one of the scouts instrumental in drafting Volpe, likened him to Houston’s Alex Bregman, noting that while Bregman quickly found success in the majors, Volpe’s journey may require more time. Meanwhile, while some scouts have expressed concerns over Volpe’s lengthy slumps and whether he’ll meet expectations, the Yanks are focusing on his development as a young, talented player. And the hard-hit balls in the first two games against the Kansas City Royals suggest that Volpe is beginning to find his stride.

Aaron Boone Refutes Jazz Chisholm’s ‘Lucky’ Remark On Royals

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone speaks to reporters before a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, July 19, 2023. Ashley Landis – staff, ASSOCIATED PRESS
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone addressed Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s post-game comments, in which Chisholm suggested the Royals “just got lucky” after their Game 2 win in the ALDS. Boone disagreed with the sentiment. “I don’t think they got lucky, I think they did a lot of really good things and came in here and beat us [Monday] night,” Boone said.

However, the skipper did recognize what Jazz Chisholm was trying to convey, noting that the New York Yankees did experience some bad luck with hard-hit balls that didn’t turn into runs. Boone also acknowledged the Kansas City Royals played well and earned their victory despite Chisholm’s profound confidence in his team.