Inside Anthony Volpe’s rise with the New York Yankees

Anthony Volpe: Growing up, obviously loving baseball through my dad and family, the passion that they felt from it and what the Yankees meant. It's larger than life and to have those experiences of going to the games, following the team, following players and learning about the game in that way. It's a dream to one day play for the Yankees. But for so many kids that I grew up with, that was all of our dreams. So it pushed me to be better and it pushed me to work as hard as I could.

I don't think it set in for quite a long time. But when they told me and my family I made the team, they were waiting in the dugout. To see them and get to celebrate with them right away and tell them in person and for them to be the first people I told that I got called up, that's something that you think back on.

It’s better than I imagined. Playing in Yankee Stadium, in big games - that part is everything you dream of. But what takes it to another level is the relationships. You don’t think about that as a kid. Wanting to win for the guys next to you - that’s what makes it special.

You don’t block it out - you’re aware of everything. There’s media every day, good or bad. For me, it’s about staying grounded and focusing on getting better. I trust my teammates, my family, the people who actually know the work that goes in. That’s who I listen to.

Angles and footwork. People talk about arm strength, but if your feet are right and you take good angles, you don’t need to rely on your arm as much. It’s an angles position.

It’s about balancing instinct with information. You learn your pitchers, understand what they’re trying to do, and where hitters are likely to go. Without the shift, positioning matters even more. I try to put myself in the best spot, trust my eyes, and stay consistent with my routine.

Well, it's crazy to even be considered as a vet or a leader, especially on our team because we have such good leadership. I try to lead by example - put in the work, be consistent, be approachable. We have great leaders, so I’m always learning from them and taking what I can.

Aaron Judge sets the tone. What he does off the field is just as important as what he does on it. And Anthony Rizzo was like a big brother to me early on. He’s still someone I talk to all the time.

Just the World Series, honestly. As a Yankee fan growing up like, that's what you remember of the teams and of the players. Obviously, you know certain guys numbers, but you know the Yankees because of how much they win. So, that's what is special to me.