Aaron Judge - MLBs best players series
A profile of New York Yankees Outfielder Aaron Judge
The New York Yankees have been among the best teams on the American League the past three seasons, winning over 100 in each of 2018 and 2019. However, they have failed to come away with a World Series title or even make an appearance.
The team is filled with firepower, routinely among the league leaders in runs scored. A key component in the middle of that order is right fielder Aaron Judge.
Aaron Judge’s Early Career
Judge, who turned 28 years old on April 26 of this year (2020), was American League Rookie of the Year in 2017 and second for AL MVP. A three-sport high school phenom, the 6’ 7” Judge excelled in basketball, football, and baseball. He was such a talent in football that Notre Dame, UCLA, among others recruited Judge, but he opted to play collegiately for the Fresno State Bulldogs.
As a junior, Judge led the team in home runs and RBI, and was the all-conference team all three seasons with the team.
Judge was selected by the Yankees in the first round of the 2013 MLB draft, but missed the entire season after tearing a quad muscle during a baserunning drill. In 2014, Judge tore up the Class A South Atlantic League, hitting .333 with nine home runs and 45 RBI in 65 games and added eight more home runs in 66 games for the Tampa Yankees of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League.
After an invite to spring training in 2015, Judge started the season in Class AA Eastern League, hitting .284 with 12 home runs over 63 games. He got promoted to Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, but struggled to a .224 average with eight home runs in 61 games. Judge improved his production significantly in 2016, finishing 4th in the International League with 19 home runs and 65 RBI.
Getting a call-up to the Yankees, Judge made an immediate impact, belting a home run in his first MLB at-bat off the Rays’ Matt Andriese. Unfortunately, Judge struggled the rest of his time with the Yankees that season, hitting only .179 in 84 at-bats, striking out half the time.
2017 - Judge’s breakout year
Judge went on to have a tremendous, record-breaking year in 2017. Not only did he make the All-Star team with the most votes in the AL, he also won the Home Run Derby and broke Mark McGwire’s rookie record of 49 home runs in a season by smashing 52. He was named AL Rookie of the Month in both April and May, hitting a combined 17 home runs and 37 RBI in 48 games.
Not only was Judge hitting home runs, they were massive shots, case in point was his 495-foot blast on June 11, which was the longest in the league in 2017.
On July 7, Judge broke Joe DiMaggio’s record for home runs hit by a Yankees rookie and became only the second rookie to reach 30 home runs by the All-Star break. Judge led the league in runs (128), home runs (52), walks (127), and strikeouts (208).
In the 2017 postseason, Judge had mixed results. He hit a home run during the AL Wild Card game and showed off his glove by robbing Franciso Lindor of a home run in Game 3 of the ALDS. However, he struck out 16 times in the same series. In the ALCS loss to the Astros, Judge hit three home runs, but also struck out 27 times during the postseason.
2018 - Front and Centre
The 2018 season started strong for Judge, who made a start in centre field, becoming the tallest and heaviest to play in centre field. By the All-Star break, Judge had reached 25 home runs and 58 RBI, good enough for a starting nod in the 2018 MLB All-Star Game. Unfortunately for Judge and the Yankees, he suffered a fractured bone in his wrist on July 26, causing him to miss nearly two months. Judge returned to the lineup with two weeks remaining in the regular season and finished with 27 home runs in 112 games. As a team, the Yankees fell to the Red Sox in the ALDS.
2019 - Injuries play their part
Injuries plagued Judge last season as well, limiting him to 101 games. He reached some milestones during his 27-home run season, launching his 100th home run in 371 games, the third-fastest to reach that mark. Always known for his power, Judge got recognized for his defence, earning the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award in right field.
During the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season, Judge hit home runs in each of his first five games, but missed time due to calf injuries. He was limited to 28 games, hitting nine home runs with a .257 batting average. In 424 Major League games, Judge has a .272 average with 119 home runs, .558 slugging percentage and 575 strikeouts.
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