Volpe & Wells Turn Somerset Success into World Series Heroics
Two summers ago, on a sweltering Sunday afternoon in late June, New York Yankees top prospect and Watchung, New Jersey native Anthony Volpe strode to the plate with his team,…
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 29: Anthony Volpe #11 of the New York Yankees waves toward the crowd after the Yankees defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 11-4 to win Game Four of the 2024 World Series at Yankee Stadium on October 29, 2024 in the Bronx borough of New York City.
(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)Two summers ago, on a sweltering Sunday afternoon in late June, New York Yankees top prospect and Watchung, New Jersey native Anthony Volpe strode to the plate with his team, the Yankees Double-A affiliate, Somerset Patriots trailing the Hartford Yard Goats 5-4 in the ninth inning.
On a 1-2 pitch Volpe connected on a fastball and drove it over the left field wall for a two-run homer to send the Patriots to a thrilling 6-5 win, and the first half Eastern League Championship. That hit paved the way toward Somerset's 2022 Eastern League title.
Two years later, in a bigger stadium and on the biggest stage of them all, Volpe cracked a grand slam in Yankee Stadium to pave the way for the New York Yankees 11-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4 of the World Series.
For a kid who grew up in New Jersey, was a lifelong Yankees fan, and idolized Derek Jeter, this was finally his moment to shine, and he grabbed it. When the game ended he got a chance to sit on the Fox Sports postgame desk, in between A-Rod, Big Papi, and, of course the Captain, Derek Jeter. Volpe even got a shout out from the Yankees legend himself on X.
Volpe wasn't the only Somerset Patriots alum who enjoyed the spotlight of the World Series. Volpe's brother in pinstripes Austin Wells, had a huge night. Wells went 2-for-3 with a solo homer and two runs scored.
Wells was a big part of Somerset's success for parts of two seasons in 2022 and 2023. He played in 113 games for Somerset, and cracked 23 homers in his time there.
Of course his close friendship with Volpe was a major part of the success story for both. In 2023 Volpe and Wells spoke about how they would have chicken parm at Volpe's aunts house, and go over baseball techniques.
"We are two peas in the pod really when it comes to life and baseball. We are both very competitive, and doing everything we can to be the best," Wells told the YES Network last season.
Can Somerset's Dynamic Duo power the Yankees to a Game 5 win? We will find out later.
