Yankees Call Up Top Prospects Aaron Judge and Tyler Austin

The future is now for the New York Yankees who announced the promotions of outfielder Aaron Judge and first baseman Tyler Austin to the big league roster.

The Yanks Go Yard staff has been debating all week whether it would be Tyler Austin or Aaron Judge to take Alex Rodriguez’s vacated spot on the New York Yankees roster Saturday. In a surprise move that is sure to please advocates of both players, the team decided to promote both guys to the Bronx.

Not only will both Judge and Austin join the team, but they will both be in the starting lineup in Saturday’s 1:05 pm ET contest against the Tampa Bay Rays. Tyler Austin will bat seventh and play first base and Aaron Judge will bat eighth and be in his regular spot in right field.

The 24-year-old Austin has overcome a lot of adversity to make his major league debut. He beat testicular cancer as a teenager, was plagued for several years by a wrist injury that sapped his power,  and was finally designated for assignment by the Yankees last winter.

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Every MLB club passed on acquiring him at the time, but after the season he’s had, I’m sure more than a few regret that decision.

Judge is also 24 and like Austin has been one of the hottest hitters in the minor leagues this year. He’s crushed 19 home runs in 92 games (including a mammoth shot last night), hitting .269/.363/.481 (145 wRC+). The knee injury that kept him out most of July hasn’t seemed to slow him down one bit.

Fans should expect to see both guys playing pretty regularly down the stretch. Austin will probably have to share time with Mark Teixeira during the 36-year-old’s last six weeks or so in pinstripes.

Judge, on the other hand, sounds like he is the undispuited starter. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told beat writer Bryan Hoch of MLB.com “You’re definitely going to see Aaron Judge playing every day in right field.”

Ken Rosenthal reported that Tyler Austin would be the guy to replace A-Rod Friday night. The fact that the first baseman was held out of the Scranton Wilkes-Barre lineup seemed to confirm that. The fact that Aaron Judge will finally get the call alongside his International League teammate is a very welcome surprise.

Next: Yankees Finding No Takers for Brett Gardner

The Yankees will finally have the nucleus of what could be their next great championship team together on the roster. Gary Sanchez is also in Saturday’s lineup batting sixth and DHing. Luis Severino just rejoined the Yankees rotation. The pieces of the rebuild seem to be finally falling into place.