Major League Baseball’s Opening Day is around the corner, which means it is once again time for a heartwarming yearly tradition — managers telling young, promising prospects that they made the big-league roster for the first time.
Out of all the players who received the promising news for the first time before the 2023 MLB season starts Thursday, perhaps none had a better reaction caught on camera than Oscar Colas of the White Sox. Colas shook hands with and embraced several teammates before calling his mother at Luis Robert’s insistence.
Videos of those players being given the news has started to emerge on social media, led by Yankees top prospect Anthony Volpe and Cardinals top prospect Jordan Walker.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone delivered the news to Volpe while general manager Brian Cashman watched, telling Volpe that while the 21-year-old shortstop has some developing to do, he thinks that development should happen in the big leagues.
“Welcome to New York,” Boone said. “Congratulations brother, you earned it.”
[MLB 26-and-under power rankings: Which teams have the best young players?]
Cardinals manager Oli Marmol, meanwhile, praised Walker for how the 20-year-old outfielder has responded to adversity thus far in his young professional baseball career.
“You deserve every bit of being with us on Opening Day,” Marmol said as Walker was overcome with emotion.
Brewers Craig Counsell also got to break similar news to two of his organization’s top prospects, infielder Brice Turang and pitcher Gus Varland.
“It doesn’t feel real,” Turang, the Brewers’ No. 5 prospect per MLB.com, told reporters after his meeting with Counsell.
Walker and Volpe are Nos. 4 and 5, respectively, on MLB.com’s most recent rankings of the top-100 prospects in baseball. No. 1 prospect Gunnar Henderson made his big-league debut for the Orioles last year, while No. 3 prospect Francisco Álvarez was optioned to Triple-A by the Mets so he could get more experience as a starting catcher.
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