Who was Anthony Volpe's grandfather? Remarkable story of his life in Philippines before emigrating to USA

New York Yankees rookie phenom Anthony Volpe is the talk of the town after making it to the team's opening day roster for the 2023 MLB season. It was a dream come true for the 21-year-old shortstop, who grew up as a Yankees fan and strived hard to improve on the mound.

Volpe's parents have always been quite busy because they work in the medical industry. He, thus, spent a lot of time with both his paternal and maternal grandparents when he was a child. While his paternal grandfather resided across the street, his mother's father lived with them.

Anthony Volpe is of mixed racial heritage. His mother, Isabelle, is originally from the Philippines, while his father, Michael, is of Italian ethnicity.

The story of Isabelle's parents, Benjamin and Concepcion de Leon, is one of courage and resilience in the face of adversity. They had to leave their home in the Philippines in the 1960s because of the chaotic political climate in the country.

Isabelle's grandfather was the mayor of Paranaque. After his son, Benjamin, campaigned unsuccessfully for vice mayor of Paranaque, the family made the decision to depart the country. Benjamin and De Leon came to America with just two of their seven children having no money or resources.

Meanwhile, Volpe's paternal great-grandfather moved to the United States from Italy after dropping out of school. Initially, he sold fruit in downtown Manhattan to survive before enlisting to serve in World War II. Unfortunately, owing to a leg wound, he was forced to take up a job at the post office. Anthony's paternal grandfather served in the Marine Forces in Japan from 1958 to 1962.

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New York Yankees rookie Anthony Volpe's career timeline

Anthony Volpe of the New York Yankees (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

The New York Yankees chose Anthony Volpe with the 30th overall pick in the 2019 MLB draft. He began his career with the Rookie Advanced Appalachian League's Pulaski Yankees.

Owing to his stellar performance on the mound, Volpe was quickly promoted in the Yankees farm system. At the start of the 2022 season, he was assigned to the Double-A Somerset Patriots of the Eastern League. The New York Yankees invited Anthony to spring training as a non-roster player in 2023.

After much anticipation from MLB fans, the Yankees declared on Mar. 26, 2023, that Volpe had earned a berth as the starting shortstop on the team's opening day roster.