TAMPA — Aaron Boone got his first chance this spring to see Anthony Volpe play live on Monday night at Steinbrenner Field.
But the rave reviews on the Yankees’ top prospect from Sunday, when Volpe played in a split-squad game in Dunedin, Fla., while Boone was managing a game at the same time in Tampa, made their way back to the manager.
“Even some veteran players, it was like, ‘Wow,’ ” Boone said Monday of the feedback he received on Volpe’s game Sunday. “One of the things you get excited about is, in talking to [bench coach] Carlos Mendoza about it, he’s managing the game, it’s like the results were great obviously, three balls on the screws. It’s like, that’s all fine and dandy but it’s the energy and the intensity and the effort — the little things that he does that get your attention. You get excited about it.”
Volpe, who went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases on Sunday against the Blue Jays, is competing with Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Oswald Peraza for the starting shortstop job.
But in Monday’s 8-5 win over the Tigers, Volpe started at second base and threw a runner out at the plate while grounding into a pair of double plays in his two at-bats. Volpe spent some time training at second this offseason and Boone will try to get each of the shortstops games at other positions to increase their versatility.
“I might get him in at third later this week,” Boone said. “But I know in talking with [infield coach Travis Chapman], they feel good about him at second base and that he’s done all the reps. In his mind, he’s prepared himself for that coming into this camp to be ready for any possibility.”
Luis Severino made his Grapefruit League debut on Monday, throwing 45 pitches across two-plus innings and came out of it feeling healthy. Facing a Tigers lineup that featured seven expected starters, the right-hander allowed four runs on three hits — including a two-run homer by Eric Haase — and a walk while striking out one.
Severino averaged 96 mph on his fastball and touched 98, but wasn’t overly pleased with his slider.
“It was terrible,” Severino said. “I need to work more on that particular pitch right now. It’s just staying in the middle a lot. I need to work more on the shape and get it to the corners.”
DJ LeMahieu, Giancarlo Stanton and Anthony Rizzo are scheduled to make their Grapefruit League debuts on Wednesday afternoon against the Nationals at Steinbrenner Field.
While LeMahieu spent the offseason resting and rehabbing the broken bone in his right foot that cost him the end of last season, Boone said the veteran infielder “should be pretty full go” this spring.