NEW YORK -- After a standout spring training, New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe has not had the scorching hot start to his MLB career many envisioned. Volpe entered Friday night's game with the Minnesota Twins (Game Tracker) with a .158/.256/.237 batting line. He was in a 3 for 24 (.125) skid with 10 strikeouts as well.
All it takes is one swing to snap out of slump, though, and Volpe's first swing of Friday night's game produced a leadoff home run against Twins righty Louie Varland. It is first home run of Volpe's career. Reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge followed with a homer of his own as the next batter, so it was back-to-back shots for the Bronx Bombers.
Here is Volpe's first career home run. Statcast measured it at a modest 394 feet.
Volpe, 21, is the first Yankee to hit a leadoff homer for his first career home run since eight-time All-Star and former World Series MVP Bobby Richardson in 1959. He's the seventh player in franchise history to do it overall.
Coming into the season, Volpe was ranked as the No. 12 prospect in baseball because he "projects as an above-average hitter who can contribute in each of the slash line categories." Volpe won the starting shortstop job with a .309/.415/.618 batting line in 19 spring training games.
This is the 12th time in franchise history the Yankees have hit back-to-back home runs to begin a game, and the first time since DJ LeMahieu and Judge did it against lefty Clayton Richard of the Toronto Blue Jays on June 25, 2019.
