Everyone is talking about Aaron Judge, everyone in New York anyways. The 282 pound, 6'7" right fielder has hit a whopping six home runs through 16 games. He leads the entire Yankees team in home runs, RBI's, and on-base percentage. This has many fans wondering, will it last? In 2016, Aaron Judge was a non-factor. He had to fight for a starting spot in the lineup this season and so far he has proved worthy of it.
Aaron Judge has impressed in 2017 and he has done an excellent job of keeping his eyes ahead, focusing on October. He is a big reason for the Yankees 11-7 record.
Last year he posted a .179 batting average with four home runs. Already this season, Judge is hitting .279 with six home runs. It is a very impressive and noticeable leap for any player, so this is definitely a motivation booster for the 24 year old powerhouse, right fielder.
Judge's Horrendous 2016 Season
If you ask about Aaron Judge's performance in 2016, you will not like the answer you get. At the start of the season, Judge was the fourth ranked Yankees prospect. The expectations could not have been much higher for him. He got the call-up in mid-August and didn't hesitate to make an impact. After hitting a home run in his first two games, the strikeouts caught up to him. Aaron Judge struck out in over half of his at-bats through the 27 games he played.
The only takeaway from the 2016 season was that his rookie-sensation teammates picked up the slack for Judge. Gary Sanchez and Tyler Austin led the way and completely stole the attention from Aaron. With this, the "Baby Bombers" were born. Baby Bombers was a nickname given to the Yankees because of their eight players aged 25 or younger.
The next generation of New York Yankees is upon us. When the Yankees won the World Series in 2009, the team's average age was 36.8 years old. At the start of 2017, the Yankees average age is 26.9. This is a young team that is itching for some postseason experience, and they are going to get it.
The Bounce Back
Aaron Judge came into 2017 Spring Training on a mission.
He had to prove that he is capable of being an every day player for a team. Judge was able to put 2016 behind him and focus on the future. He hit .300 in Spring Training and eventually got the nod to start in right field. He lived in the shadow of teammates Sanchez, Austin, and Bird last year. It is his job to become the face of the Baby Bombers, and right now he is doing it.
Gary Sanchez and Tyler Austin have found themselves stuck on the disabled list. Greg Bird has not had much more of an impact as he is hitting a measly .111. This gives way for a very productive season from Judge as he has not stopped making headlines since the second week of the season.
Is Aaron Judge the Real Deal?
Yes.
Aaron Judge is a player that will be in the Major Leagues for many years, granted he is healthy. Will he perform at this level for the rest of the season? That is too hard for anyone to really tell. Any player at any level can be on a hot or cold streak at any time. The thing about Judge is that once he finally hits that middle ground, he will be consistent. His batting average most likely will not break .300 too many times, but you can expect around 20+ home runs from him. This is a player who is still learning the game at the Major League level, so when he does figure it all out, then there will be trouble.
The New York Yankees have not been in the American League Championship Series since 2012.
The team now has all the right pieces to make it there, they just have to play at the level they are capable of. Aaron Judge is a name to remember because this season will not be the last time you hear it.
