The 22-year-old New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe has clinched the prestigious 2023 Gold Glove Award.
As news of Volpe’s Gold Glove win spread, one particular fan, Justin Diamond, took to X to voice his skepticism, questioning how Volpe could earn such a prestigious accolade when he couldn’t even locate a defensive highlight video of the young shortstop on YouTube.
“I think it’s very odd Anthony Volpe won the gold glove and I can’t even find a defensive highlight YouTube video of him,” Justin wrote.
I think it's very odd Anthony Volpe won the gold glove and I can't even find a defensive highlight YouTube video of him.
— Justin Diamond (@_justinddiamond) November 6, 2023
However, another passionate Yankees supporter, Joe Randazzo, swiftly responded to Diamond’s doubts.
Randazzo didn’t just defend Volpe; he went the extra mile by curating a compilation of Volpe’s 19 best plays from his Gold Glove-winning campaign, presenting evidence of the rookie’s exceptional defensive abilities.
Anthony Volpe’s 19 best plays for his Gold Glove campaign with the Yankees! https://t.co/jvcYpSPpHb pic.twitter.com/6drQ7Rxhua
— Joe Randazzo 📚📕📖 (@LibrarianJoe_) November 6, 2023
What makes this victory truly remarkable is that Volpe not only secured his place in history as the first Yankees rookie to win a Gold Glove but also emerged as the youngest shortstop ever to claim this coveted award, surpassing a record set by Alan Trammell back in 1980.
Your 2023 Rawlings Gold Glove Award Winner – AL Shortstop – Anthony Volpe#RawlingsGoldGloveAwards pic.twitter.com/jLi44JjDZU
— Rawlings Baseball (@RawlingsSports) November 6, 2023
Anthony Volpe’s rookie season may have been less than spectacular on the offensive front, batting a meager .209, which ranked last among the nine qualified AL shortstops.
His on-base percentage of .283 and OPS of .666 certainly didn’t light up the scoreboard.
However, what Volpe lacked at the plate, he more than compensated for in the field, showcasing a display of defensive prowess throughout the season.
The 2023 Gold Glove Awards also recognized other defensive stars across MLB:
-José Berríos, Toronto Blue Jays
-Jonah Heim, Texas Rangers Rangers
-Nathaniel Lowe, Texas Rangers
-Andrés Giménez, Cleveland Guardians
-Matt Chapman, Toronto Blue Blue Jays
-Steven Kwan, Cleveland Guardians
-Kevin Kiermaier, Toronto Blue Jays
Anthony Volpe was drafted by the Yankees in the first round, 30th overall, in 2019.
He made his MLB debut on March 30, 2023, after a strong showing during spring training secured him the starting shortstop position.
