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New York Yankees fans react to Aaron Judge asking Anthony Volpe about being demoted despite making the big league team: "The rookie ribbing begins" 

New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge had a heck of a way to welcome shortstop Anthony Volpe – the anointed at-last heir apparent to Derek Jeter – to the team.

Volpe told Chris Kirschner of The Athletic on Monday that Judge was one of the first to call him after the Yankees' top prospect played his way into the team's opening day lineup with a scintillating spring training – a year ahead of the expected schedule.

However, Judge couldn't help getting in some good-natured ribbing to open the call, as Volpe told Kirschner:

"He asked me if I was packing my bags for Scranton."

Scranton-Wilkes Barre is the home of the Yankees' Triple-A team, where most figured the heralded 21-year-old prospect was headed in 2023. However, Volpe played his way into Yankee Stadium by hitting .302 with two home runs and five RBIs and performing brilliantly in the field.

Anthony Volpe told me that shortly after finding out he made the Yankees, Aaron Judge called him.

"He asked me if I was packing my bags for Scranton."

Yankees Nation has been chomping at the bit to see Anthony Volpe get his call to the big leagues, and hearing the news that Aaron Judge is already engaged in a little light rookie hazing with the hoped-for future superstar only made things sweeter.

Such wholesome big brother and little brother vibes. 🥹🔵⚪️⚾️⚡️🔥 twitter.com/chriskirschner…
@ChrisKirschner and the rookie ribbing begins 😂😂😂
LMAOOOOO JUDGE twitter.com/chriskirschner…

Many fans joked that even Judge didn't think Yankees general manager Brian Cashman would pull the trigger on making Volpe the team's starting shortstop this season.

@ChrisKirschner Judge knows how cashman thinks. He was probably shocked he did the right thing 😂.
@ChrisKirschner Even Judge thought Cashman was going to send him down

Aaron Judge and Anthony Volpe have already struck up a solid friendship this spring, as evidenced in a number of pictures and videos of the two hanging out in the dugout together.

They are best friends lol. I love it twitter.com/chriskirschner… https://t.co/ZoFN1ug76y
They’re best friends twitter.com/chriskirschner… https://t.co/eoCmm7qB0J

Aaron Judge, the hulking slugger and new owner of the American League single-season home run record with 62, now has a new skill that many fans are just learning: humor. Although a funny bone won't show up in the stat sheet, his joking with Anthony Volpe makes New Yorkers love Judge all the more.

Confirmed Judge makes dad jokes twitter.com/chriskirschner…
Omg judge 😂he’s got jokes now @HoodieFrazier twitter.com/chriskirschner…

Judge is the current Yankees captain. Could it be that one day, Volpe will be his successor?

@ChrisKirschner That’s because he knows Volpe will be the next Yankee Captain after Judge.

Could Anthony Volpe and Aaron Judge go 1-2 in the batting order?

Anthony Volpe of the New York Yankees
Anthony Volpe of the New York Yankees

Aaron Judge is the No. 2 batter in the Yankees lineup. While Anthony Volpe will likely hit ninth upon his major league debut, would a hot start possibly have manager Aaron Boone moving him up to hit leadoff in front of the captain? It's not likely, but neither was Volpe making the opening day roster back when spring training began.

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