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A closer look at the Yankees’ first round pick, Anthony Volpe

Anthony Volpe, shortstop from Delbarton High School, was the first player chosen by the New York Yankees in the 2019 MLB Draft. Ranked by MLB as the 63rd best player in the draft, the Yankees went out on a limb and drafted Volpe with the 30th overall pick. The true question that is yet to be answered is will Volpe forgo his collegiate career at Vanderbilt, where he has already committed to play for the New York Yankees?

High School Career

In 186 career at bats during his four-year high school career, Volpe amassed 87 hits (.468 batting average) with 31 of his 87 hits going for extra bases. Of his 31 extra base hits, they were broken down to 10 doubles, 12 triples, and nine home runs. Volpe didn’t show a lot of power with his 5 foot 11, 180 pound frame in high school with only 35.6 percent of his hits going for extra bases.

Throughout his high school career, Volpe has shown above average speed (clocked at a 6.68 60 yard dash time) and has proven that he has a good defensive skill set, to go along with his average hit tool.

Previous Shortstops Drafted in The First Round

The Yankees have taken two other shortstops in the first round of the MLB draft during this decade. Kyle Holder was drafted 30th overall in the 2015 draft, and Cito Culver was drafted 32nd overall in the 2010 draft. Holder has made it up to Double-A where he is still in the Yankees farm system, playing for the Trenton Thunder.

Culver did not pan out to what the organization thought they were getting with a first round pick. Culver played in Triple-A with the Miami Marlins organization in 2018. This season, he’s with Rochester in the Independent League. These two examples of a first round pick at the same position as Volpe prove that the MLB draft is risky, and you can’t guarantee what you are getting, even in the first round.

What To Expect From Volpe

The Yankees, in my opinion, could have taken a player at the same spot with a higher ceiling than Volpe. Even though Volpe is committed to Vanderbilt, there are rumors that he will sign with the Yankees and start his Major League career. This could be another proving point that Volpe has maybe made some indication that he is willing to forgo college, since he was drafted in the first round.

Volpe is a local kid (growing up in New Jersey) and had always dreamt of playing for the New York Yankees. Hopefully with his defensive talent and above average speed, the Yankees organization can mold the young kids bat and make him a force to be reckoned with on both sides of the ball for years to come in the Bronx.