ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Mostly reserved and soft-spoken publicly in his three-plus seasons as a big leaguer, Anthony Volpe saved his most passionate defense for Wednesday, when he felt like his character had come under attack.

Following a report (since retracted) that the polarizing Yankees shortstop refused to play second base while he was at Triple-A earlier this season, Volpe called “BS” and insisted he has been willing to do whatever the team needed of him.

“It couldn’t be further from the truth,” Volpe said in front of his locker at Tropicana Field. “From my end, from my perspective, that’s been very clearly communicated to [manager Aaron Boone] and the team. I think it’s just kind of BS, honestly, because I’d hope my teammates in here — I’ve played with them for three-plus years — I hope they know my character and that I’d literally do anything to help the team win. Literally anything. So I think just the narrative and what it tries to say about me, I feel like I’m defending myself over something that literally didn’t happen.”

The 25-year-old Volpe, who underwent offseason shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum, said the organization did not broach the subject of playing different positions with him until José Caballero was coming back from the injured list in late May.

That came after Volpe had spent all of his rehab process working at shortstop, including on his rehab assignment, after which the club decided to option him to Triple-A on May 4 because Caballero had been playing shortstop at a high level.

Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (11) in the field against the Minnesota Twins. Robert Sabo for NY Post

According to Volpe, he had checked in with the organization weekly during the offseason to ask what was expected of him at a time when all he could do was take ground balls, and the message was consistently to be ready to play shortstop. GM Brian Cashman had reiterated that at Tampa Bay on April 10 — at which point Caballero had gotten off to a slow start — when he said that Volpe returning as the starting shortstop had “always been the plan.” Of course, Caballero’s play eventually changed that plan.

For the week he spent at Triple-A after being optioned, Volpe only played shortstop. It is possible that the organization would have started to mix in second base if he had stayed there longer, but then Caballero got injured and Volpe got called up to play shortstop in the big leagues.

Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (11) makes a fielding error against the Minnesota Twins. Robert Sabo for NY Post

“I mean, when I was getting optioned, I told Booney I’d play catcher, I’d do literally whatever the team needed,” he said. “And that’s the truth behind the story. That’s why the fact that what was said was said is catching me so off guard, because there was literally zero of that.

“Even after the new message [about introducing other positions] was received, I had no — I still have no problem. I want to be here and I want to help the team win the World Series. That’s literally all I want. So for anything opposite to be put out there is just confusing.”

Asked Wednesday if there was any resistance from Volpe about trying second base when he was at Triple-A, general manager Brian Cashman wrote in a text message, “No.” Boone also defended Volpe, saying they did not bring up playing other positions until “pretty late in the game.”

“I know he would do anything,” Boone said. “Volpe’s character and team-first [mindset] is beyond reproach. He’s as good as it gets. He’s been through a lot and he’s handled everything with toughness, with grace, with work ethic and with team first in mind. He’s always been that way.

“He’s a gamer, and he’s a tough, tough kid that loves the game and plays his butt off every single day. I wish that was celebrated a little bit more.”

After Caballero came back from the IL, Volpe began taking occasional ground balls at second base on days when he was not in the lineup, but that slowed down because the Yankees were then ravaged by injuries to Aaron Judge, Jasson Domínguez, Trent Grisham and Ryan McMahon, and leaned on Caballero’s defensive versatility to help them get through it.

They are now closer to whole, and Tuesday Volpe did not start against a lefty for only the second time this season, though he was back at shortstop Wednesday against another lefty, Shane McClanahan, with Caballero spelling Jazz Chisholm Jr. at second base.

Volpe, who won the Gold Glove at shortstop as a rookie in 2023 but went through a brutal defensive stretch last summer while playing through the shoulder injury, has been up and down there this season. He has made some terrific plays while botching some more routine ones, with his decreased arm strength a concern. Caballero has graded out better in Defensive Runs Saved (six to one), but has also had some bumps defensively at shortstop.

Offensively, Volpe has been getting on base at a higher clip (.338) than he has the rest of his career, but only had a .663 OPS in 41 games compared to Caballero’s .701 mark in 78 games.

“We really haven’t had, until Cabby walked in the door last year, a real competition-based thing here,” Boone said. “And by the way, [Volpe] has been a damn good shortstop. I hate to break it to everyone, that still is real. Has he had his struggles? Sure. But he’s also played really well out there in some long stretches defensively.”