For years New York Yankees fans were told tall tales of a prospect: He was compared to Paul Bunyan with a baseball bat. The 6’7” slugger could launch a ball to the moon and then throw it back. This mythical man became the subject of wonder and adulation, as the team’s chances of contention waned.
One day, management said, he’ll be ready. One day, this mammoth prospect will don the pinstripes and put on a show. Well that time has finally come, and Aaron Judge is putting the baseball world on notice.
The Rise of Aaron Judge
Judge, whose play during his short stint in the majors last season was far worse than that of fellow rookie Gary Sanchez, appears to have begun to settle in. In 2016 he struck out in half of his at bats and hit below .200. As of Sunday, Judge is batting .279 and has struck out in 27.9% of his at bats.
When his rookie season ended prematurely, due to an oblique injury, fans were left underwhelmed and wondering whether the stories they had been told about him were just that—stories. Although a closer look at his statistics from his time in the minor leagues shows that this slow start was not only predictable, but inevitable.
Road to the Show
After a hot-hitting 2014, in two different classes of A-ball, Judge made his Triple-A debut in 2015. However, in 61 games, Judge batted a measly .224 and was promptly sent down to Double-A.
In Double-A, Judge was able to bat .284 with a .350 on-base percentage. In 63 games, he drove in 44 runs and slugged 12 home runs. That was a notable improvement on his eight homers and 28 RBI in Triple-A.
His low-level dominance and raw talent led to many wondering what the former Fresno State Bulldog could do on the big league level. The name Giancarlo Stanton was floated around as a comparison quite often, which only led to expectations growing even further.
In 2016, after he was able to get his feet wet on the Triple-A level the season prior, Judge came out slugging for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to the tune of 19 home runs and 65 RBI in 93 games.
By this point, fans had been hearing his name for a while—both as untouchable in trade talks and as the next potential Yankees star. When the team announced that both he and Tyler Austin were getting called up to the big leagues, at least for a little while, the buzz was electric.
In one weekend, the controversial Alex Rodriguez played his final game as a Yankee—or was forced to do so by the organization (depending on what you believe)—and the man who was supposed to fill his spot as the middle of the order power hitter played his first.
The Fanfare
Judge, who by all accounts is a humble and rather quiet man, made his presence felt from the very first swing he took in pinstripes and has been touted as a “legend-in-the-making” by fans ever since.
Fast-forward to now, after a season-ending injury and a few jaw-dropping home runs, and Judge has cemented his status as a fan favorite.
From bleacher creatures donning actual judge’s robes, to Dave Winfield—one of Judge’s childhood favorites—retweeting a video of his 457-foot shot against the Pirates, to the not so quiet comparisons between his demeanor and that of the Captain himself—Derek Jeter.
As blasphemous as the thought of that comparison might be, it’s palpable in at least one way. Since the Captain has retired, the aura around the team has been different.
Even in the latter stages of his career, fans still clung to Jeter and his legacy. There was always the belief that he could muster up enough magic to get that one last clutch hit, a notion which was proven true in his final game at Yankee Stadium.
Judge probably won’t ever get 3,000 hits, he might not lead the Yankees to a single World Series title (let alone five), and he very well might not turn into the star that he has been billed as; but one thing is certain, he has helped to return the excitement and enthusiasm to Yankees baseball.
