In the bottom of the ninth inning, New York Yankees star minor-league shortstop Anthony Volpe smashed a walk-off homer in a come from behind win against the Bradenton Marauders on June 19 of last year. Volpe launched two homers in the game, contributing a triple off the centerfield wall early in the contest in addition. At the time, Volpe had been enjoying a 15 game streak recording a hit in each. This was the moment he truly put himself on the map on a grander scale.
Check out the walk-off blast below, showcasing his power and eye for the ball in big moments.
https://twitter.com/Yankeelibrarian/status/1482492279424274434
Anthony recorded a .294 average with 27 homers and 86 RBIs over 412 at-bats this past season. Having spent the majority of his year with Low-A Hudson Valley and Tampa, expect him to be elevated this coming season once the lockout finalizes.
The Yankees will likely pursue Japanese slugger Seiya Suzuki:
As per The Athletic’s Andrew Baggerly, the Yankees and a few other clubs will be in on Suzuki once free agency opens back up.
From the report: “The Seattle Mariners are known to be among the 10-to-12 clubs that pitched their organizations to him over Zoom. So did the San Francisco Giants, who are coming off a 107-win season and have an acute need for a right-handed hitting outfielder. (“The Seiya Hey Kid”?) The Red Sox are known to have strong scouting links to Suzuki, and in an interview with a Japanese TV station earlier this month, former Boston pitcher Koji Uehara tried to squeeze an admission out of him that he was bound for Fenway Park. The Dodgers, Padres, Yankees, Rays and Blue Jays also are expected to be in the mix.”
The Yankees were reportedly involved in talks to acquire Suzuki before the lockout, and he’s likely still on their radar.
The institution of the lockout suspended the 30-day window Suzuki had to find an MLB team, and considering he fits the mold of the analytics department, he would be a perfect fit in the outfield. This past year with Hiroshima, Suzuki posted a .317 average with 38 homers and 88 RBIs.
The departure of Clint Frazier, Tyler Wade, and Brett Gardner opens up a spot in the outfield, especially with the unreliability of Aaron Hicks. Suzuki has had great health over the course of his career, another positive factor the Yankees will consider in their potential pursuit.