Aaron Judge And The Future Of Yankees Baseball

Let the laughing stop, because the Yankees have a farm system! Woohoo! Break out the champagne and call the press! Look, while the Yankees’ Triple-A roster may not be as prolific as others around the game, the lower Double-A and Single-A levels have some real stars in the making. Among them the third base star, Eric Jagielo, the left-handed pitcher Ian Clarkin, the first baseman with the power bat, Gregory Bird, the catcher of the future Gary Sanchez, and the pitching phenom. Luis Severino. 

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But one of the organization’s best prospects made a big splash in his first full season as a professional, and could really have an impact on the Yankees’ future.

Yes, I’m talking about the 6′ 7″, 230-pound right fielder, Aaron Judge who hit .308 with 17 home runs and 78 RBI while boasting a .419 on-base percentage. While there were quite a bit of questions regarding how Judge’s big size would play out (Players of a large stature usually take longer to develop because their swings are usually longer) but he displayed a surprisingly compact swing and excellent plate discipline. Many people around baseball see Judge as a future star and that is huge for the system and the future of the Yankees.

Forget that he’s drawn comparisons to Hall of Fame outfielder Dave Winfield or All-Star slugger Giancarlo Stanton. That’s just exciting all in itself. Like I said before, taller players normally take a while to develop because their swings are normally longer.

So, a lot of people expected Judge to have his fair share of struggles in his first season which obviously did not happen. What’s more, is that Judge is not just a typical “Big Hairy Monster” who just crushes the ball, but bats for a low average and doesn’t get on base (A guy like Carlos Pena comes to mind).

Instead he takes what he’s given at the plate, hitting double-digits in home runs, but getting on base a lot and racking up a high OBP. That’s something you don’t normally see from young guys like Judge. A former center fielder back at Fresno State University, Judge moved to right field and played very good defense, and possesses a very strong throwing arm. He figures to reach the majors by the 2016 campaign.

So what does Judge’s emergence mean? Well, it means that the Yankees and their fans are finally seeing the farm system pick up and they could have a few future stars in their midst.

The Yankees refused to trade Judge and a few other farm hands to the Phillies in exchange for Cole Hamels before this past Trade Deadline. Normally the Yankees would jump at an opportunity to acquire one of the best pitchers in baseball, but this time it was a firm “no.”

Why is this?

Well, for one, they’re smartening up to the value of their young players and that they recognize that someone like Judge could be a real asset to the team in the near future. Judge and some other Baby Bombers will be participating in the Arizona Fall League, and I suggest you fellow fans of the pinstripes tune in.

It won’t be long before he takes over for Carlos Beltran as the everyday right fielder, and the Yankees can boast a very nice outfield of Jacoby Ellsbury, Brett Gardner and Judge.

The future for this young man looks very bright, and the Yankees and their fans should be very excited to find out what he can provide.