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Eight Years Ago Today: Aaron Judge Hits a Home Run on MLB Debut
Aaron Judge, an underdog first round pick who made a sensational MLB debut.
Early in his career, New York Yankees star Aaron Judge was dubbed ‘too big’ for Baseball. Had the critics known the legend he would become, they would have been more thoughtful with their words.
Growing up in Linden, California, Aaron was raised by parents Wayne and Patty Judge who gave their son the freedom to experiment with multiple sports. Wayne and Patty instilled a strong work ethic in Aaron and taught him the importance of success through hard work and education.
Though considered somewhat cliched, the importance of right education and knowledge can bring upon much-needed positive progression in life which is what happened with Aaron.
Humble beginnings: Linden High School
At Linden High School, Aaron started to turn heads, quickly becoming one of the best long distance hitters as a freshman. As a Junior, he was battling with an average of .500 and slugging over a thousand.
However, Aaron wasn’t just a Baseball sensation. Judge was also a star wide receiver and a dominant Center on the basketball team. But Despite early recruitment offers as tight end and baseball player, Judge bided his time, eventually committing to the famed Fresno State.
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Fresno State and getting drafted
At Fresno State, Judge’s raw talent and potential were molded into something special. Courtesy of his excellence on the diamond, he amassed a .358 batting average and was named Freshman All-American.
By his Junior year, Judge had become the backbone of the Fresno State Offense, leading the team in home runs, doubles, and RBIs. Though the three-time All-Conference team select was turning heads with his performance, some scouts were unsure of his potential.
For some odd reason, most scouts couldn’t see past Judge’s towering frame, worried that his long arms would make it difficult to handle major league pitching. His high strikeout rate in college didn’t help his case and only served to fuel their doubts.
Fortunately, the Yankees scouting director held a different perception, arguing that an athlete of Judge’s caliber was hard to find. As draft day arrived, the 27x Champions selected Aaron 32nd overall, thus, betting big on a big prospect.
Being a 2013 first round pick, it was the right time for Judge to silence his critics with an epic rookie season. But sadly, a torn quadriceps injury forced the young gun to miss out the entire 2013 season.
As Judge prepared for his professional debut in 2014, he spent his time studying the game and preparing to prove his haters wrong.
In the minor leagues, the rookie kept himself motivated with his Insane work ethic and countless hours spent on improving his game.
A call up to the majors
After a couple seasons grinding in the Minor Leagues, Judge at last received the call he had been waiting for. On August 13, 2016, the Yankees brought him up to the big leagues as he stepped into the batter’s box against the Tampa Bay Rays.
What happened next is what most MLB players dream about; the now six-time All-Star connected with a pitch on his first at-bat alongside debuting teammate Tyler Austin. They became the first pair of teammates ever to hit a home run in their first MLB at-bat in the same game.
Since that faithful day, Judge has gone on to earn Rookie of the Year, 3x Silver Slugger, and MVP honors. In 2022, the home run derby champ became the first man to break Roger Maris’ single season American League home run record of 61 by hitting 62.
Though Aaron Judge’s career has a long way to go, the 32-year-old is certainly one of the greatest of this generation.
ALSO READ: Aaron Judge Reveals Why He Rejected USD 300 Million Offer By Rays During 2022 MLB Free Agency
