Which Current New York Yankees Will Join Immortalized Legends in Monument Park?

Do any New York Yankees on the active roster have a shot to join the immortalized legends in Monument Park?

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When I was growing up my friend's father, Big Jon, required me to remember all of the retired numbers for the New York Yankees. For most teams that would have been an easy task, but not for the Yankees and their stockpile of legends.

The 2025 baseball season is right around the corner, pitchers and catchers are a mere 24-hours from reporting for New York. Before the Yankees begin pursuit of their elusive 28th title, let's take a look at which of their current players could one day be immortalized themselves.

Aaron Judge

Judge is the one player on the active roster that should be expected to have his number retired in the future. He's already a Yankee captain and a two-time MVP winner, which he could still add to having won last year's AL MVP. He won the American League Rookie of the Year in 2017. He holds the team's single-season home run record with 62, beating Roger Maris' record 61 homers that stood for 61 years.

Judge has yet to win a title for the Yankees, which may be an unspoken requirement for entry in Monument Park. However, even if he doesn't reach a Hall of Fame milestone, like 500 home runs, his No. 99 should one day be retired by the team. Bringing home a championship, however, would seal the deal.

Giancarlo Stanton

Stanton, like Reggie Jackson and many free agent difference makers before him, is not a home grown Yankee. That matters more in New York than it does anywhere else. Stanton is entering his eighth year with the team, but he spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Marlins. He won his lone MVP in 2017 with Miami.

If he finishes his career over the magical mark of 500 home runs, that probably makes him a Hall of Famer and that likely lands him in Monument Park. If he wins a title with the Yankees over the next few years, that will further increase the chances that his No. 27 never gets worn again. If he does both, he's probably in.

If he falls short in either of those endeavors, his situation is closest to Dave Winfield in terms of their Yankee legacies. Winfield is a Hall of Famer, but he finished with 465 home runs and never won a title in New York. Winfield's No. 31 has not been retired by the Yankees, although some of his clashes with management could be behind that decision.

Other Considerations

Newly acquired first baseman Paul Goldschmidt won the NL MVP in 2022 and will at least be strongly considered by Hall of Fame voters. However, even if he gets in he'd have to be a centerpiece of multiple Yankee championships to have any shot of having his number retired.

Newly acquired centerfielder Cody Bellinger's path would look similar to Stanton's. In other words, Bellinger would have to duplicate the production he's seen over his first eight seasons as a Yankee over the next eight to have a chance.

Gerrit Cole has a high enough career WAR (42.8) that he could at least make Hall of Fame voters think about it with another few strong years. Over his five-year Yankee career he's been equal parts good and disappointing in the same breathe. His overall production has been strong, but he's come up short in a number of pivotal moments.

For Cole to have any shot of having his number retired in New York, he's going to need to be a big reason behind them winning a title. More than any other franchise, championships are the expectation for the Yankees.