Delbarton Teen Drafted By Yankees In First Round Of Draft

MORRISTOWN, NJ — Anthony Volpe, a shortstop from Delbarton School, has been drafted by the New York Yankees in the first round of the MLB draft. He was the 30th draft pick overall.

"We like a lot about him. He's going to be a shortstop: the guy can hit, he can run, he's got plus actions, he's got really good hands, and he's got a shortstop's arm. He's got tools. He's been on the big stage with the USA national teams, so he's got performance, and with a deluxe make-up, the kid brings it every day," Yankees Vice President of Domestic Amateur Scouting Damon Oppenheimer said.

Volpe hit .488 with 34RBI and 17 steals in 84 at bats while at Delbarton.

Delbarton School won the 2019 Non Public A North Championship late last month, and Volpe graduated on Sunday. The right-hander is giving up his commitment to Vanderbilt to join the minor league.

"He got drafted by the team that he’s always dreamed of playing for. It just worked out that way. I know that he’s thrilled and so are his teammates," Delbarton coach Bruce Shatel told the New York Post.

The last time the Yankees picked a New Jersey high schooler in the first round was back in 2003, when they drafted Florham Park resident Eric Duncan out of Seton Hall Prep, the Daily Record reported. Volpe is from Watchung.

This is what MLB had to say about his draft prospects:

Volpe is the kind of player who grows on evaluators the more they see him, with his whole being greater than the sum of his parts. He gets an 80 on the 20-to-80 scouting scale for his makeup and work ethic. He does have a solid approach at the plate with excellent bat control and while he doesn't have a ton of power, there is enough strength to keep pitchers honest, like when he went deep at the NHSI. Though he's not a burner, Volpe runs well and has good instincts on the bases and defensively. He has good hands and footwork and while he might have an average arm, some feel it might mean that second base will be a better long-term home for him, even if a team sends him out as a shortstop initially