Baseball America annoits Yankees captain Aaron Judge as its Player of the Year
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Follow UsThe New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge, who now joins a prestigious lineage after the impeccable 2024 season, is set for multiple honors. His first came on Monday as Baseball America crowned him with its top award — Player of the Year.
“Aaron Judge is our 2024 MLB Player of the Year. He led all major league hitters in: – on-base percentage – slugging percentage – home runs – RBIs – walks – wRC – fWAR,” Baseball America announced on X.
Aaron Judge leads MLB
As the 16th captain in the franchise’s storied history, he followed legends, such as Derek Jeter, Don Mattingly, Lou Gehrig, and Babe Ruth, both in leadership caliber and on-field performance. This season, Aaron Judge fully embodied the captaincy role with his extraordinary performance on the field. His numbers were staggering, leading Major League Baseball in several key areas. Aaron Judge topped all hitters with a .458 on-base percentage, a .701 slugging percentage, 58 home runs, 144 RBIs, 133 walks, a 218 wRC+, and an outstanding 11.2 fWAR.
Adding to his offensive output, Aaron Judge recorded a career-best .322 batting average, narrowly trailing Bobby Witt Jr. and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the American League batting race. Beyond his bat, Judge also expanded his defensive responsibilities, starting 105 games in center field. His versatility helped the Yankees optimize their lineup, ultimately driving the team to a 94-win season and securing the top playoff seed in the American League.
Aaron Judge’s remarkable season earned him recognition as Baseball America’s Major League Player of the Year for 2023. It was his second consecutive year receiving the honor, having dominated in many of the same categories in 2022.
His consistent production, both at the plate and in the field, reinforces his value to the Yankees and the sport. Aaron Judge’s leadership and performance on and off the field justify the team’s decision to name him captain, continuing the Yankees’ proud tradition of great leaders.
Aaron Judge’s 2024 season was a historic one, packed with extraordinary accomplishments that further secured his legacy in baseball lore. Here are five standout facts from Judge’s remarkable year:
Aaron Judge’s bat power unmatched
Aaron Judge posted an incredible 218 wRC+ (weighted runs created plus) in 2024, showcasing his elite offensive capabilities. This advanced stat measures a player’s offensive production, adjusting for the league’s overall scoring environment and the ballpark factors. With a 218 wRC+, his offensive output was 118% better than the average American League hitter.
A wRC+ over 200 is a rare achievement and is considered a hallmark of a historically great offensive season. Since 1901, only ten players have reached this benchmark in a season with at least 500 plate appearances. This was the second time Aaron Judge surpassed the 200 wRC+ mark, placing him among an exclusive tier of baseball’s elite.
Aaron Judge in the league of MLB legends
By recording a second 200+ wRC+ season, Aaron Judge joined a select group of the sport’s all-time greats. Across baseball history, there have only been 30 seasons where a player registered such a high wRC+. Judge now sits alongside icons like Babe Ruth (nine times), Ted Williams (six times), Barry Bonds (four times), and others including Ty Cobb, Rogers Hornsby, and Mickey Mantle, who each accomplished the feat twice.
Additionally, Lou Gehrig, Frank Thomas, and Mark McGwire each posted a single 200+ wRC+ season, solidifying this stat as a benchmark for offensive greatness.
Aaron Judge’s performance is even more striking in the context of the modern era, beginning with MLB’s expansion in 1961. Over the past 63 seasons, only four players have posted a 200+ wRC+ in a season with 500 or more plate appearances. The other three names in this exclusive club? Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, and Frank Thomas—each a legend of the game.
His feat underscores his dominance in a highly competitive era, where pitching depth and advanced scouting have made it increasingly difficult for hitters to post such lofty numbers.
Aaron Judge’s remarkable 2024 season cemented his place in the annals of baseball history, affirming his position as one of the sport’s all-time great hitters. His rare ability to produce at such a high level, especially in today’s game, adds to his growing legacy as one of the greatest offensive talents of his generation.
Aaron Judge’s 2024 season further solidified his reputation as one of the premier power hitters in baseball, placing him among the game’s elite sluggers with his remarkable home run achievements.
Aaron Judge’s home run capability
In 2024, Aaron Judge once again crossed the 50-home run mark, a feat matched only by Shohei Ohtani that season. Reaching this milestone remains a rare accomplishment in the sport’s history, with just 50 instances of a player hitting 50 homers in a season.
Aaron Judge’s latest achievement marked his third season with 50 or more home runs, placing him in an exclusive group of only 10 players to have multiple 50-homer seasons. This accomplishment aligns the Yankees captain with some of the game’s most legendary hitters.
He is now tied with Alex Rodriguez, as both players have recorded three 50-homer seasons, the fourth-most in MLB history. Only three hitters have more:
Babe Ruth, Sammy Sosa, and Mark McGwire, each with four 50-homer seasons. Meanwhile, other greats such as Jimmie Foxx, Ralph Kiner, Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, and Ken Griffey Jr. managed two seasons with 50 homers. Should Aaron Judge notch another 50-homer season, he would join Ruth, Sosa, and McGwire atop the list with four, tying the all-time record.
Aaron Judge’s power was on full display when he became the fastest player in MLB history to reach 300 career home runs. He blasted his 300th homer on August 14, 2024, in his 955th career game, breaking the previous record set by Ralph Kiner, who reached the milestone in 1,087 games.
His record-breaking pace is even more striking when looking at the number of at-bats it took to hit 300 homers. According to Elias Sports Bureau, Aaron Judge hit his 300th home run in just 3,431 at-bats, faster than any other player. Ruth made it with 3,831 at-bats and Mark McGwire had it at 3,837 at-bats.
These numbers highlight Aaron Judge’s exceptional power and place him among the greatest sluggers in history. His consistent ability to crush home runs, combined with his rapid ascent to 300, underscores his status as one of the game’s most formidable hitters, with the potential to challenge some of baseball’s most revered records.
Aaron Judge’s 2024 season not only underscored his dominance as a hitter but also highlighted his rare physical traits and versatility on the field. His performance put him in a select group of players across multiple categories, reinforcing his unique status in Major League Baseball.
Standing Tall in Center Field
At 6-foot-7, Judge stands out in more ways than one, particularly as a center fielder. His 2024 season was historic, making him the first player of his height to start in 100 games in center field. This achievement is especially significant given the rarity of tall outfielders patrolling the middle of the diamond.
Before Judge, few players taller than 6-foot-6 had ever logged substantial time in center field. The list includes notable names like Dave Winfield, Darryl Strawberry, and Corey Hart, but none of these players held down the position regularly. The tallest center fielder with a significant career before Judge was Dexter Fowler, who at 6-foot-5, played eight seasons with at least 100 games in center. Others like Alex Rios and Von Hayes, also standing at 6-foot-5, had only two such seasons.
Aaron Judge’s impressive season also added to his ever-growing collection of accolades. His career began with a bang when he won American League Rookie of the Year in 2017, setting a rookie record with 52 home runs—later broken by Pete Alonso in 2019. In 2022, Judge captured the AL MVP award, and in 2024, he emerged as a frontrunner for the honor once again.
His accomplishments in 2024 demonstrate his profound impact on baseball. Aaron Judge’s combination of size, athleticism, and exceptional skill has redefined what is possible for players of his stature. His continued excellence across multiple seasons shows a level of consistency that few achieve, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest players of his generation.
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