Yankees' Anthony Volpe credits teammates and coaches for Gold Glove award, discusses offensive stumbles
Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe capped off his rookie season in New York by winning a Gold Glove award, something he said he grew up always thinking about and an honor he called “the mark of what you want to strive for” defensively.
“It’s definitely surreal and I don’t really know if it’s hit me yet,” Volpe said.
However, the shortstop was also quick to give credit to his teammates, coaching staff and everybody else who has helped him on his journey to the major leagues, sounding more like an experienced veteran rather than a 22-year-old rookie.
“As much as maybe this can be considered an individual honor, I don’t really think it is at all,” he said. “It’s just such a team kind of award, in my opinion. … For you to get an individual award, I think a lot of credit goes to a lot of different people.”
Of course, Volpe’s Gold Glove award and first season in the Bronx has an extra layer of importance to the Manhattan-born, New Jersey native who grew up a Yankees fan in Watchung, N.J.
But not even Derek Jeter, whom Volpe idolized as a kid, won a Gold Glove his rookie season. In fact, in the entire franchise’s long and storied history, Volpe is the first Yankee rookie to bring home the golden hardware.
“It’s definitely crazy even hearing you say it,” Volpe said. “But just to represent the Yankees organization, to be able to do that every single day this season, obviously it wasn’t the season we wanted, but it’s just an honor every day to wear the uniform.”
Still, despite playing Gold Glove defense at shortstop almost every day, playing in 159 games (150 starts) which is an asset for any ballclub, Volpe had a bumpy time offensively in his first season in the majors.
The 22-year-old slashed .209/.283/.383 in 541 at-bats but did smack 21 home runs, fifth among AL rookies and ninth among all rookies, with 60 RBI and 24 stolen bases to go along with a 3.3 WAR.
Asked how he would characterize his season, Volpe said it was “frustrating.”
“I definitely know that last year didn’t come close to cutting it and that’s just on me,” he said. “I feel like I know where I have to be and all the work that I’m doing leading up to that is gonna be toward that goal.”
He added: “We just have standards that I feel like we set for ourselves as a team and I don’t think anyone felt like we came even close to reaching that and that’s frustrating, but it’s not not motivating. I feel like it’s even more motivating.”
The Yankees finished 82-80 last season, good for fourth place in the AL East. It was their worst finish since 2016 when they went 84-78 and also wound up in fourth place.
Obviously, not all of that falls on their rookie shortstop. Injuries and underperformance from a variety of veterans that New York was counting on were the main culprits for the Yanks’ underwhelming season.
But Volpe knows he didn’t offer enough help, even for a 22-year-old rookie. It’s something he’s committed to rectifying going into his second season – another promising sign for such a young player.
“I just want to be a way better hitter and I think a lot of those numbers and results will [come] into themselves,” he said. “I don’t feel like I did my part as much as I should’ve so I feel like the work I’m putting in going into spring training, it’ll just put me in a way better position this season.”
