As Anthony Volpe prepares for his third massive league season, the Yankees are hoping the shortstop can parlay an encouraging October right into a full season of offensive manufacturing.
The 23-year-old’s Gold Glove protection has made him a lineup fixture regardless of short-lived bursts and prolonged droughts on the plate. However Volpe hit .286/.407/.408 with three doubles, one house run — a grand slam in Recreation 4 of the World Collection — six RBI, 10 walks and 13 strikeouts throughout the Yankees’ playoff run. That adopted a daily season by which Volpe slashed .243/.293/.364 with 12 house runs, 60 RBI, 42 walks, 156 strikeouts and an 86 wRC+.
That poor manufacturing got here after Volpe flattened his bat path over the offseason in an effort to make extra contact, as he hit .209 as a rookie in 2023. As a substitute, contact remained a problem after some early-season BABIP luck, and he sacrificed energy after becoming a member of the 20-20 membership in 12 months 1.
Volpe’s postseason was particularly noticeable after he hit .194/.250/.242 over his final 47 common season video games. Nonetheless, he capitalized on the Yankees’ bye within the playoffs, utilizing the time to make just a few tweaks that allowed him to get behind the ball higher.
“The week off leading into the postseason, the little adjustments I saw, it was like, ‘Boom!’ It leapt off the screen,” Aaron Boone stated on the Winter Conferences. “’That’s it! That’s it right there!’”
Volpe’s modifications and powerful postseason coincided with a lift in bat pace.
In response to now-public bat monitoring information, Volpe’s bat pace improved to 71.6 mph within the playoffs after clocking in at 69.5 mph within the common season. Boone didn’t know the precise numbers when requested concerning the uptick, however that lined up together with his eye take a look at.
“I haven’t seen the bat tracking, but I’m not surprised because I know what I was watching every single day, and that’s what we want,” he stated. “When you see it, ‘Yes!’”
Whereas Volpe’s bat pace solely improved by just a few miles per hour in October, he loved bigger good points in different metrics, together with…
Anticipated Batting Common: .238 common season vs. .332 postseason
Exit Velo: 87.7 mph common season vs. a 95.8 mph postseason
Onerous-Hit%: 35.4% common season vs. a 53.0% postseason
Squared-Up %: 26.2% common season vs. a 46.9% postseason
Line Drive%: 21.1% common season vs. 41.7% postseason
Pull%: 32.1% common season vs. 36.1% postseason
Groundball%: 50.2% common season vs. 30.6% postseason
Gentle Contact%: 15.8% common season vs. 0.0% postseason
Volpe additionally confirmed extra selectivity on the plate, rising his BB% whereas decreasing his chase price.
The query now could be whether or not Volpe’s small, 14-game postseason pattern can translate to a whole season. In that case, the speedster may very well be greater than only a backside of the order hitter after batting eighth or ninth for many of September.
“I think the different adjustments and things he’s done are going to serve him well in the end, and we are going to look up in several seasons and we’re going to see a really good offensive player,” Boone stated, echoing sentiments he shared throughout the season. “I’m really confident that what I saw from him in the final weeks of the season and then certainly into the postseason is absolutely something that will hopefully carry over to where he becomes more and more of a consistent offensive player.”
What that appears like stays to be seen.
Can Volpe flirt with 20 house runs on a yearly foundation transferring ahead? How a few .300 common? Or an on-base share above .300, one thing he simply recorded within the minors every year however hasn’t achieved as a giant leaguer?
Boone didn’t wish to make any statistical predictions. However after watching Volpe’s playoff efficiency, he’s as assured as ever that the infielder’s bat has extra to supply.
“Does it manifest itself more in average? Is there more power? I don’t know,” Boone stated earlier than restating himself. “But I think we’re going to see a very good offensive player when it’s all said and done.”
