New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge isn’t just one of the most popular and well-respected baseball players in the Empire State, he is also seen by his contemporaries as one of the best players in the league to build a team around.
If there was any doubt before, last season solidified that Aaron Judge is in an elite class among the various players in MLB. In 2022, the four-time All-Star dominated the American League at a record pace as he set new New York Yankees and AL high marks for home runs en route to win the league MVP award.
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While he hasn’t been able to match the torrid pace of last season in 2023, he is still among the top impact everyday players in the sport and will likely earn a fifth trip to the All-Star. His consistency over the last eight seasons and his role in making the New York Yankees a constant contender have apparently earned a lot of respect around the league.
On Tuesday, The Athletic published its latest yearly poll of MLB players. One of the various questions they asked the 103 anonymous players was, “If you were starting a team today, who is the first player you would sign?” While Aaron Judge wasn’t the first choice, he was near the top.
New York Yankees star Aaron Judge has a great reputation in MLB
The most popular choice as a star to build a team around was Shohei Ohtani, who received 45.6% of the votes. That is unsurprising since the Japanese star is a professional baseball unicorn and is likely to land a half-billion dollar contract in MLB free agency this winter.
However, after Ohtani was the New York Yankees captain. Aaron Judge received 14.5% of the votes. Finishing in front of Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuna (9.7%) and fast-rising Baltimore Orioles talent Adley Rutschman (5.8%).
- Aaron Judge stats (2023): .291 AVG, .404 OBP, .674 SLG, 19 HR, 40 RBI, 42 R
The Yankees star also received a couple of strong endorsements from the anonymous players. With one saying, “You need that kind of guy in your lineup. And you really need that kind of leadership.” While a second voter stated, “I want more than just a good player, I want a good clubhouse guy, and I’ve heard great things about Judge.”