In his rookie season with the New York Yankees in 2023, Anthony Volpe faced challenges but managed to make a significant impact. Despite finishing eighth in the AL Rookie of the Year voting, he achieved a notable milestone by becoming the first Yankees rookie to receive a Gold Glove. Now, as he gears up for his sophomore campaign, MLB.com anticipates an improvement in a specific aspect of his game that may have been overlooked in the previous season.
MLB.com recently highlighted Volpe among the “10 players who should run more in 2024,” emphasizing the potential for increased productivity on the base paths. While much attention was focused on Volpe’s batting statistics, where he encountered some rookie struggles with a slash line of .209/.283/.383/.666, he demonstrated prowess on the bases. Notably, Volpe showcased his base-stealing abilities by successfully stealing 24 bases while being caught just five times – a remarkable achievement that earned him the distinction of being a 20/20 player, a feat no Yankees rookie had achieved before.
Despite not possessing what could be considered elite speed, with MLB recording him at 28.3 feet per second (in comparison to the top player on the list, Philadelphia’s Trea Turner, who averaged over 30 feet per second), Volpe compensates with strategic intelligence. His 83 percent success rate as a base-stealer in the previous season attests to his astuteness on the base paths. Notably, in the minors in 2022, Volpe stole 50 bases while only being caught seven times.
As Volpe transitions into his second season, having overcome the challenges of adapting to the demands of being an everyday Major League player, there is optimism that he could surpass his previous year’s achievements. MLB.com makes a compelling case for unleashing Volpe’s base-stealing potential further in 2024, projecting that he could evolve into an even more formidable threat on the base paths for the Yankees.
Leave a Reply