It’s been an interesting weekend for home run trots across the minor leagues.
On Friday, newly promoted Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Henry Ramos got ejected when he tossed his helmet at an opponent to start a brawl during his game with the Reno Aces. He’d get called up to the big-league club two days later.
On Sunday, it was New York Yankees No. 1 prospect Anthony Volpe’s turn to get in on the home-run trot shenanigans — though I’d probably pin this incident on an oversensitive umpire.
During the fourth inning of the High-A Hudson Valley Renegades’ game against the Greensboro Grasshoppers, Volpe extended Hudson Valley’s lead with an opposite-field, 3-run home run. But keep an eye on the umpire as Volpe crossed home plate.
Anthony Volpe just hit an opposite field bomb and got ejected as he stepped on home plate. pic.twitter.com/DZcregTEhy
— Eli Fishman (@elijfishman) September 5, 2021
With zero hesitation, home plate umpire Tyler Witte ejected Volpe for something he said while rounding third. It’s unclear what Volpe said — or what he was upset about given that the calls went his way during the at-bat — but Witte had an active game tossing players. Left fielder Elijah Dunham was ejected by Witte an inning earlier after a groundout.
Despite losing the best prospect in the Yankees organization for half the game, the Renegades broke out a ridiculous 14-run ninth inning (with two grand slams!) to win, 23-4.
