Yankees fans threaten to boycott Opening Day if prospect Anthony Volpe does not make an appearance: "Volpe opening day or we will not be watching"

Anthony Volpe was not a name that was heard coming from the mouths of New York Yankees fans last year. Perhaps they were more focused on more pressing matters like Aaron Judge's historic home run campaign.

Despite being one of the best hitting teams in the entire MLB last year, fans have repeatedly been making calls to revitalize their lineup. There are a slew of young stars that many argue are ready to burst into the limelight.

While many youngsters have caught fans' attention during Grapefruit League action in Florida, second baseman Anthony Volpe seems to have the most favor. Many are now beginning to wonder if the 21-year old, 2019 first overall pick might have a chance to crack the Opening Day lineup.

Ahead of the New York Yankees' March 13 clash with the Minnesota Twins, manager Aaron Boone delighted fans. He played three of the most-talked-about rookies, including Volpe, at the top of the lineup.

Starting at second base and hitting second, Anthony Volpe is flanked in the infield by third basemen Oswaldo Cabrera and Oswald Peraza at shortstop. Notably absent are Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Gleyber Torres, more experienced players who held down shortstop and second base last year respectively.

Anthony Volpe has been the leadoff hitter in the last two Yankees contests. This included a 3-3 tie against the Boston Red Sox on March 12 where he hit a solo run and crossed the plate twice.

Although nobody is quite sure how things will lineup around the diamond for the Yankees on opening day, fans certainly know who they want. With a .320 batting average to accompany two solo home runs, Volpe is beginning to look like an incredible option.

Some are worried that second baseman Gleyber Torres, who is coming off his best offensive season since 2019, may be the second baseman on Opening Day. Some fans are even threatening to boycott the Yankees' March 30 inaugural game against the San Francisco Giants.

Even if 2022 doesn't belong to Anthony Volpe, he has a bright future

Anthony Volpe, a New Jersey native, has been turning heads and allowing more and more spectators the pleasure of witnessing his skill firsthand. However, he still lacks much of the experience necessary.

Although starting with the Yankees in 2023 could be Volpe's calling, fans need to remember that this young talent will only get better with time.

His development is a long-term project, and though he is breaking out in spring training, he might not see the same success in the MLB regular season.

About the author

Adrian Dorney is a baseball journalist at Sportskeeda. Having worked over five years in the industry, Adrian strives to combine statistical analysis with the human side of baseball reporting. Since a lot of his briefs involve publishing content with urgency, he has perfected a process involving a combination of trustworthy sources and assessment with intuition.

His lifelong tryst with baseball began with growing up in Toronto and watching the Blue Jays regularly. His favorite player is Baltimore Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr., and Jose Bautista's go-ahead home run in 2015 ALDS Game 5 remains his favorite baseball memory to date.

When not working, Adrian is constantly looking to learn new things and he also loves playing golf and chess.

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