Boone says Volpe already ‘looks like a way better hitter’

HOUSTON — Among the 134 qualified hitters in the major leagues last season, Anthony Volpe posted the second-lowest on-base percentage at .283.

The Yankees shortstop is off to a good start in correcting that in his sophomore campaign.

Volpe reached base in four of his five plate appearances on Opening Day, including walking three times to help fuel a pair of rallies as the Yankees beat the Astros 5-4 on Thursday at Minute Maid Park.

“I think he looks like a way better hitter, period,” manager Aaron Boone said.

It marked the first time in Volpe’s young career that he has drawn three walks in a game. Two were four-pitch walks with men on base, the second coming against reliever Seth Martinez to force in a run from third and pull the Yankees within 4-3 in the fifth inning.

Volpe, who officially went 1-for-2 out of the six-hole, worked over the offseason to level out his swing, which showed in his first at-bat when he smoked a single back up the middle. But most of his production on Thursday came from not swinging and instead having a patient approach at the plate.

“[Volpe’s at-bats] embodied what we want to be,” Boone said. “He was great. Every at-bat, even the punchout [in his last at-bat]… he was on time, tough at-bats, more of what we’ve been seeing.”

➤ By the time Jon Berti landed and got to the Yankees’ team hotel on the heels of Wednesday’s trade, it was 2 a.m. Thursday.

So Boone gave his new infielder a day to catch his breath instead of throwing him right into the lineup, with Berti watching from the dugout as third baseman Oswaldo Cabrera hit a game-tying home run.

“Just want [Berti] to get acclimated as best as he can,” Boone said before the game. “Hopefully today helps get him settled in a little bit and then we can roll.”

Berti got the news he had been traded from Marlins manager Skip Schumaker during a workout Wednesday in Miami. He was not expecting it but took it in stride and was in his new uniform, wearing No. 19, roughly 24 hours later.

“It was just a whirlwind of emotions,” Berti said. “Super excited just to come to such an organization that’s so prestigious.”

Berti figures to get a steady dose of action at third base while DJ LeMahieu is out before moving around, with Boone calling him a “front-line super-utility player.”

“Talking to a lot of people in the National League — people in the National League East were really excited for him to leave that division,” Boone said. “So I’m excited to see what he does for us.”

➤ The Yankees finalized their roster Thursday morning, with right-handers Nick Burdi and Clayton Beeter keeping the final two spots in the bullpen and Jahmai Jones securing the final spot on the bench.

The Yankees only had to clear a 40-man roster spot for Burdi (Beeter and Jones were already on it), and did so by placing Gerrit Cole on the 60-day injured list. That means the reigning AL Cy Young winner will be out at least until May 27, which was right around the best-case scenario anyway for when he could return from nerve inflammation and edema in his right elbow.

Cole could potentially begin throwing as soon as next week.