MLB Players Show Respect for New York Yankees Superstar in New Survey

It is fair to say that MLB players from around the league have a lot of respect for this New York Yankees star.

Oct 30, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (99) hits a double during the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game four of the 2024 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium. / Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Ever since he broke on to the scene as the 2017 American League Rookie of the Year, New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge has sat firmly entrenched as one of the very best players in Major League Baseball.

He's a six-time All-Star, a two-time AL MVP award winner, and in 2022, he broke the AL home run record with 62 long held by Roger Maris.

There is no question that any serious accounting for the best players in the sport would include him near the very pinnacle of the list, as no hitter is able to match his consistent power production.

MLB.com and its beat reporters have spent spring training conducting a player survey, polling over 100 anonymous players on their opinions on the best players and pitchers in the league.

Brian Murphy published the findings on the best position player question Saturday, and to some surprise, Judge took the third spot behind Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals.

"Baseball's preeminent power hitter today, Judge does much more than crush home runs," Murphy wrote. "He has a career .288 average and .406 on-base percentage. His 1.010 OPS is the best among active players. The Yankees' captain clobbered an AL-record 62 homers in 2022 and had 58 homers last season, but he flirted with a Triple Crown in each of those years, too."

Judge also garnered praise from a rival pitcher, who would know exactly how difficult it is to go one-on-one with the towering Yankee.

"He's such a hard out," an AL starting pitcher said in the survey. "He controls the plate really well, and he's just an all-around phenomenal player."

Judge showcased his selfless leadership last year when he vacated his usual right field position to take on the more challenging center field option to accommodate Juan Soto.

With Soto gone, Judge gets to return to his natural position, one where he grades out better as a defender and won't be as physically taxed.

This will ideally allow him to turn in another year and further cement his status as not only one of the very best hitters in the league but as one of the greatest of all time.

In 2024, Judge made a late push for his 2022 AL home run record, but he finished with 58, producing a phenomenal triple slash line of .322/.458/.701, the latter two of which led the league in their respective categories.

Recommended Articles

feed