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At some point in elementary school, you were probably asked what you wanted to be when you grew up. If you were a kid in New York or New Jersey, odds are someone in that classroom wrote down shortstop for the New York Yankees.
Most people never reach the heights their childhood selves aspired to.
But Anthony Volpe isn’t most people.
Fueled by years of preparation, passion and patience, Volpe made his major league debut for his beloved Yankees in 2023, just four years after being drafted. Today, he’s living his dream — starting at shortstop for the team he grew up idolizing, following in the footsteps of Derek Jeter.
Now in his third MLB season, the 24-year-old is taking the next big step in his career — not just on the field, but off it.
“I grew up dreaming of being a baseball player,” Volpe says. “As a kid, you don’t consider all the opportunities that come with it.”
Nevertheless, in his relentless pursuit of a competitive edge, Volpe found a natural partner in Recover 180, an organic sports drink that aligns with both his performance needs and personal values.
Real relationships, real ingredients
Unlike many athlete partnerships, where a brand seeks out an athlete to promote its product, Volpe was already a consumer of Recover 180 before any formal relationship began.
After researching the company and trying the product himself, the 24-year-old took the initiative to get involved with the business, much to the delight of Recover 180 VP of Marketing Jonny Hochschild.
“It’s really about authenticity,” Hochschild says. “We want athletes and partners who genuinely resonate with the brand, people who are actual consumers of it.”
Volpe fits that description to a tee, incorporating Recover 180 into his workout regiment before he ever joined forces with the company.
“Baseball season is as crazy as a sports season gets,” the young shortstop shares. “So recovery is huge for me.”
As the name suggests, Recover 180 is built with recovery in mind. The drink features a coconut water base and contains no artificial flavoring, aiming to deliver maximum hydration, hence the tagline: Better Hydration.
“Sugary traditional sports drinks are fine in the moment,” Volpe says, “but you shouldn’t really drink them if you’re not actually playing and sweating.”
Recover 180, on the other hand, is USDA organic certified and made with a mix of clean, functional ingredients like coconut water, elderberries, added vitamins and antioxidants.
“If you look at other sports drinks out there, most don’t have that USDA organic certification, and they definitely don’t have the low calories like we do,” says Hochschild. “A lot of them even use red dye.”
Of course, no matter how healthy a product is, people won’t drink it if it doesn’t taste good. Fortunately, Recover 180 has received strong feedback on that front.
“We handed out tens of thousands of samples at Fanatics Fest, and everyone loved it,” says Hochschild. “In my first beverage job, about 60% of people would spit it out. So, having a product people actually enjoy drinking is a game-changer.”
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Beyond the ballpark
For Volpe, partnering with Recover 180 marks a new stage in his growth off the field, as the young star begins learning to navigate the boardroom with the same confidence he has on the baseball diamond.
“One of the biggest things I’ve learned through this whole process is how important it is to find balance,” he says. “Being in New York, you could take on a new opportunity every single day if you wanted to. But I’ve learned to focus on partnerships that are truly worth my time and have the potential to succeed.”
Recover 180 has already built a strong presence among professional athletes, partnering with stars like Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray and Lakers guard Austin Reaves. Now, with Anthony Volpe on board, the brand has a footprint across all major U.S. sports leagues — and a valuable connection to one of the most prestigious franchises in American sports: the New York Yankees.
“I’m very fortunate to play on a stage as big as the Yankees,” Volpe says. “Even on the road, it’s wild to see how many of our fans show up compared to the home team.”
That kind of visibility extends off the field as well, opening doors for brand partnerships and business opportunities. But Volpe is selective about where he puts his name.
“You have to be intentional about what you do,” the 24-year-old says. “It’s a good problem to have, but it means picking and choosing what you really want to pursue.”
Finding that balance can be challenging for a young player, but Volpe is fortunate to be surrounded by seasoned MLB veterans he can lean on for guidance. He says his biggest takeaway from them has been the importance of authenticity.
“My main thing is avoiding the corny deals that don’t make sense or serve a real purpose,” he explains. “I’m not the most outgoing person when it comes to promoting myself or posting, even though I know that’s important to brands. But when a partnership is genuine, when the brand uses its platform to help share my story and vision, it feels natural.”
Volpe is still in the early stages of his career, both on and off the field. But if his partnership with Recover 180 is any indication, he’s already knocking it out of the park in both arenas.
