When it comes to baseball greats, not many can top Derek Jeter. The former shortstop was a force to be reckoned with, and the baseball world, Yankees fan or not, was sad to see him retire. In the years that have followed, some have managed to hold a candle to The Captain’s gifts, like Aaron Judge and Anthony Volpe.
Judge shares the more obvious points with Jeter, like being captain of the Bronx Bombers and remaining tight-lipped about their personal lives. But young Volpe has his own set of similarities with the ex-Yankee. Like how both are from New Jersey, are Yankees fans, and play shortstops for their dream team. And while we have seen what Jeter can do, Volpe is yet to make it to the major leagues, but at the rate he’s going, his big league debut is not that far.
And as if all these connections weren’t enough, a rare photo shows the two go way back.
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Fans react to a rare photo of Derek Jeter and Anthony Volpe
Talkin’ Yanks on Twitter shared an old photo of a younger Derek Jeter and an even younger Anthony Volpe, which looks adorable. The caption read, “Young Anthony Volpe with Derek Jeter feels like a photo we’ll see for a very long time.” And indeed, a picture of two talents coming together like a dynamic duo is something people will talk about for some time to come.
Many compared it to Jeter’s photo with another former MLB player, Todd “The Toddfather” Frazier. The former pro baseballer has his own unique history with Jeter, whom he first met as a kid. And then, almost two decades later, the two faced each other on opposite teams.
This is how baseball fans reacted to this uncanny coincidence:
It’s the new “Derek Jeter & Todd Frazier”photo.
— BAT1STA (@BAT1STA) March 1, 2023
That’s not Todd Frazier…
— Kat (@Kat_4ReaL) March 1, 2023
but did you know about this pic.twitter.com/ij6D90DmuO
— Yankees Files (@YankeesFiles) March 1, 2023
Well it sure looks like being a Yankee was meant to be for Anthony 👍⚾
— Wendygirl2 (@wendyrushmore) March 2, 2023
That’s going to be a cool moment in 28 years when Volpe is on the stage at Cooperstown saying he grew up a Jeter fan and then cues the producer to reveal this photo to the crowd
— Matthew Berry (@icemasterberry) March 1, 2023
Why does every prospect or new Yankee have a picture with former yankees
— Hal is the real GM 🐢 (@Snickidy) March 1, 2023
Why are we just now seeing this, I love it
— joe (@BurdenBurner) March 1, 2023
It feels impossible that this picture is only now making the rounds
— Henry (@henry_gutkin) March 1, 2023
It truly looks like being a Yankee was written in the cards for the 21-year-old!
Why is Volpe’s name so often uttered in the same sentence as Jeter’s?
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Does Anthony Volpe have the numbers? He does! Are his stats really as high as everyone says? They most certainly are! His skill on the diamond is what makes him the number one prospect in the Yankees organization. Not only that, but the rapid speed at which Volpe has shown improvement has made him one of the biggest catches for the Pinstripes Organization.
Dan Fiorito, the minor-league manager at stops in 2021 and ‘22 for Volpe said, “Anthony’s name holds a lot of weight. I mean, he’s somebody who’s seen so much success at a young age, and you know, we see where he is on the top prospect lists and everything, and it’s all well deserved. It’s something that he’s handled amazingly well.”
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WATCH THIS STORY – Ranking New York Yankees Legend Derek Jeter’s Greatest Ever MLB All-Star Games
Volpe is someone that considers baseball his life, and it clearly shows on the field. The next Derek Jeter or not, Volpe deserves all the success coming his way.