Volpe 'excited' to see pal Leiter make debut
TORONTO — The Yankees are off on Thursday, which is good news for Anthony Volpe.
The shortstop doesn’t need a break from his red-hot start to the season, but he does need a few hours on Thursday afternoon to watch his childhood friend and former teammate, Jack Leiter, make his MLB debut.
“We have an off day, so [I’ll be watching] every pitch,” Volpe said before going 0-for-4 with four strikeouts in the Yankees’ 5-4 loss to the Blue Jays on Tuesday.
The Rangers announced on Tuesday that Leiter will be called up from Triple-A to start against the Tigers on Thursday in Detroit. As soon as Volpe saw the news, he texted Leiter and traded messages with him throughout the day.
“I couldn’t be happier for him and his whole family, for everyone. I’m super-excited,” Volpe said. “I’m sure his phone was going crazy and all of our friends and family friends are super pumped.”
Volpe and Leiter met on an Upper East Side playground when they were young kids — while Leiter’s father, Al, was pitching for the Mets and Volpe’s family was still living in the city — and then reunited when they were in the same class at the Delbarton School in New Jersey.
In their senior year, Volpe and Leiter helped Delbarton win a state championship, and they also played together on Team USA and in various All-American and Area Code games. Those are the memories that Volpe quickly pointed to on Tuesday when asked for his favorite.
“Winning,” said Volpe, who has made a big jump early this season from his rookie year. “And being able to play behind him and watch him pitch and dominate. Obviously high school, but Team USA and everything we were able to do together.”
Volpe and Leiter were also set to go to Vanderbilt together (in a class that included Yankees top prospect Spencer Jones) before the Yankees swooped in and took Volpe with the 30th-overall pick in the 2019 draft. Volpe could not turn down his favorite team, but Leiter — whom the Yankees made their 20th-round pick later in that draft, knowing he was all but guaranteed to honor his college commitment — continued on to Vanderbilt. The right-hander was then selected by the Rangers with the No. 2-overall pick in 2021.
In between, Volpe and Leiter returned to Delbarton in the summer of 2020 after COVID robbed Volpe of a minor league season and Leiter of a full season at Vanderbilt. Leiter pitched to Volpe in simulated games, allowing both to get their work in against some high-level competition.
“Just a super competitor, so mentally tough and obviously insanely talented,” Volpe said of Leiter. “With all his pitches, he can compete. I’m excited to watch.”
For now, those sessions would be the last time Volpe faced Leiter. But the Rangers are scheduled to visit The Bronx in August before the Yankees head to Arlington, Texas in September.
Volpe has already been thinking about his first time facing Leiter in the major leagues.
“Definitely — even before he got called up,” Volpe said with a grin. “I’m excited.”