The New York Yankees are one of the most consistent franchises in all of professional sports. The team has won 27 World Championships and has only missed the playoffs four times since 1995. Beyond that, New York hasn't had had a win-loss record below .500 since 1992, when the team finished the season with 76 wins and 86 losses.
Stars like Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, and Robinson Cano have been key contributors over the past two decades, but New York's current top player is Aaron Judge, who led the team in wins above replacement in both 2017 and 2018. The following are six things you need to know about the 27-year-old slugger:
1. He’s one of the tallest players in MLB history.
Judge stands out in right field both literally and figuratively. At 6 feet 7 inches tall and 282 pounds, the right fielder is one of the tallest players to ever play in Major League Baseball. At 6 feet 11 inch, Jon Rauch is the tallest player in league history, while three others—Randy Johnson, Eric Hillman, and Chris Young—are listed at 6 feet 10 inches. Mark Hendrickson is listed at 6 feet 9 inches, and five current and former players, including Judge's teammate Dellin Betances, are 6 feet 8 inches.
2. He was named 2017 Rookie of the Year.
Although Judge played 27 games in the 2016 season, he didn't register enough plate appearances to accrue one year full of experience. Thus, he was considered a first-year player in 2017 and won Rookie of the Year after a dominant season in which he led the American League (AL) in runs (128), home runs (52), and walks (127).
Judge, who also finished second in AL MVP voting that season, also broke the Yankees and MLB rookie record for most home runs, which was previously held by Joe DiMaggio (29) and Mark McGwire (49), respectively.
3. He was motivated by a poor 2016 season.
An alumnus of California State University (CSU) Fresno, Judge was drafted by the Yankees in 2013 and began playing in the team's minor league system the following year. By 2016, he had worked his way up to the team's Triple-A affiliate in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and recorded a .270 batting average to go along with 19 home runs and 65 RBI through 93 games.
Judge earned the promotion to the Yankees that season and, although he hit a home run in his first at-bat, he finished the season in the MLB with a disappointing .179 batting average. During his Rookie of the Year campaign the following season, Judge told Yankees beat reporter Bryan Hoch that he keeps a note on his iPhone that reads “.179” for motivation.
4. He was originally drafted by the Oakland Athletics.
Judge was the 32nd overall selection in the 2013 MLB Amateur Draft, but that wasn't the first time he was drafted. In 2010, the Oakland Athletics used its 31st-round pick to select Judge, who was only 18 at the time. Instead of signing his first professional contract, Judge opted for the college route and enrolled at CSU Fresno.
The decision clearly paid off—Judge was a first-round pick three years later after an impressive collegiate career in which he was a three-time conference All-Star. He also finished first in the 2012 TD Ameritrade College Home Run Derby. In his final college season, the outfielder registered a .373 batting average and led his team in home runs, RBIs, and doubles.
5. He was a three-sport athlete in high school.
Part of the reason Judge originally stood out to the Athletics as an 18 year old was because of his dominance as a high school baseball player. In addition to playing first base for the Linden High School team, he was also dominant on the mound; as a pitcher, Judge posted a win-loss record of 9-3 to go along with a 0.88 ERA in his senior year. He won his last five starts and helped his team win the league championship.
However, baseball wasn't Judge's only sport. He played wide receiver for the school's football team and set all-time records for most touchdowns and receiving yards. He was recruited to play the sport by UCLA, Stanford, and Notre Dame, among other schools, but he decided to pursue baseball. He was also the leading scorer for the Linden basketball team.
6. He credits his mother for his career success.
Judge was adopted by his parents Patty and Wayne in April 1992 when he was one day old. His parents, both of whom were teachers, were instrumental in his academic success—he served on the student council at Linden High and graduated with a 3.2 GPA. But he's particularly grateful to his mother for helping him become the man and player he is today.
"I know I wouldn't be a New York Yankee if it wasn't for my mom," he said in a 2017 interview. "The guidance she gave me as a kid growing up, knowing the difference from right and wrong, how to treat people and how to go the extra mile and put in extra work, all that kind of stuff. She's molded me into the person that I am today."