GOOD NEWS: Anthony Volpe Quietly Donates 300 Baseball Gloves And Shoes To Bronx Immigrant Kids — And Tells A Boy He’ll One Day Play At Yankee Stadium
By [JOYCE] | The Athletic
BRONX, N.Y. — On a warm summer evening in the Bronx, Anthony Volpe did something that never showed up in a Yankees press release. No flashing cameras. No PR team. No polished statements. Just the crisp crack of baseballs on aluminum bats at a neighborhood diamond — and one young Yankees star with a trunk full of brand-new gear.
Volpe, 24, showed up unannounced at a tiny local field near East 161st Street this past weekend, carrying boxes of baseball gloves and cleats. In total, he gave away more than 300 pieces of equipment to children, most of whom were immigrant kids from families who’ve come to the Bronx searching for a new life — and who rarely, if ever, have access to high-quality baseball gear.
The only person tagging along was Volpe’s mother, who quietly snapped a few photos on her phone. There was no team photographer. No big media shoutout. And that’s exactly how Volpe wanted it.
“This wasn’t for the cameras,” a person close to Volpe told The Athletic. “He grew up playing ball here in New York. He knows how much it means for kids to feel like they belong on the field.”
According to witnesses, Volpe spent nearly two hours handing out gloves, tying shoelaces for little boys and girls, and even jumping in for a few soft toss drills. But the moment that’s exploding on TikTok came courtesy of a short video posted by a local coach. In the clip, a 10-year-old boy, wearing a faded navy Yankees shirt two sizes too big, looks up at Volpe and asks a simple question:
“Am I gonna play in Yankee Stadium too?”
Volpe, visibly moved, dropped to one knee so he could meet the boy at eye level. “If you love baseball,” he told him softly, “one day, you’re gonna stand right there.”
The boy’s face cracked into a shy grin. The coach, who recorded the moment, said there “wasn’t a dry eye around.”
“He didn’t have to be there,” said the coach. “He could’ve sent a check, done a quick photo op, and bounced. But he stayed. He talked to every kid. He gave them hope.”
Volpe has often spoken about how his family instilled humility and gratitude in him from an early age. His parents emigrated from Italy, and while Volpe himself was born in New Jersey, he grew up hearing stories about how hard his grandparents worked to build a life in America.
Now in his third full season with the Yankees, Volpe is batting .281 with a .798 OPS and has become a clubhouse leader despite his age. But friends say moments like Saturday mean far more to him than any stat line.
“It’s not just baseball to him,” said the person close to Volpe. “It’s about the community. It’s about showing kids that they’re seen.”
Social media has since blown up with the story, especially on TikTok, where the video of Volpe and the boy has over 2.3 million views and thousands of comments. Many fans are praising Volpe for his humility and calling him the true heart of the Yankees.
One user wrote: “Anthony Volpe is the player you want your kids to look up to. The Bronx is lucky to have him.”
Another said: “He’s the future captain. No question.”
While the Yankees have had their share of star power over the years — from Derek Jeter to Aaron Judge — it’s these small, quiet moments that remind people why baseball remains deeply intertwined with the identity of New York.
As for the boy in the oversized Yankees shirt, the coach says he’s been wearing his new glove every single day since Saturday. “He goes to sleep with it under his pillow,” the coach laughed. “And he keeps saying he’s gonna play at Yankee Stadium. And you know what? After meeting Anthony Volpe, I believe he might.”
Volpe, true to form, has declined interviews about the day. “It’s just what you’re supposed to do,” he reportedly said.
And in a city that demands stars both on and off the field, that might be exactly why Anthony Volpe is becoming one of New York’s brightest.