New York Yankees star Aaron Judge has already cemented himself as one of the best hitters to play the game and he is nowhere near hanging up his cleats. And he continues to show us time after time why pitchers have difficulties facing him when he steps into that batter’s box.

 

One of the many things that makes Judge so special as a hitter is his plate coverage and ability to hit the ball to all sides of the field. He has been one of the hottest hitters in the league to start the season off and is at the top of the leaderboard in multiple offensive categories.

 

Oh, and let’s not forget to mention that on Monday it was announced that he would be suiting up for Team USA during the 2026 World Baseball Classic and was also named team captain.

 

Mike Trout, the team’s captain in 2023 World Baseball Classic was all for Judge leading the charge this time around. For the past four seasons, Judge has hit 30-plus home runs and is already on pace to extend that streak this season.

 

 

Off to a strong start

 

The 32-year-old started the season recording a hit in seven of his first eight games. In his second game of the season, he had one of the best performances of his career as he hit three home runs against the Milwaukee Brewers and finished with eight RBI.

 

He went on to follow that performance up by hitting another home run on the very next day, finishing with four home runs and 11 RBI in the Yankees’ first series of the year against the Brewers. Coming off a season where he helped his team make it to the World Series, Judge is showing early on that he wants to make another run at making another World Series appearance.

 

Through 15 games, he’s hitting .357 with six home runs and 20 RBI and carrying a .750 slugging percentage. During those 15 games, he is tied for first in the MLB in home runs, ranks first in runs batted in and is fifth in batting average.

 

Becoming one of the best hitters in the game

 

This is Judge’s 10th season in the majors, and he has consistently improved his game at the plate year after year. Dating back to 2017, he has not had a season where he has hit below .257. He quickly established himself as a power hitter, hitting 52 home runs during his first full season in 2017.

 

The Yankees knew they had something special in Judge and that’s a big reason why he was named the 16th team captain in Yankees history back in 2022, and the first since Derek Jeter.

 

 

Judge is very intentional when it comes to hitting and the work that he puts in. Back in 2023, he spoke with Harold Reynolds and talked about his hitting routine and tee work and Judge allows the viewers to see the mindset he has and what he’s trying to accomplish.

And you can see how that all translates to the actual game and see how much of an impact he has on the game. Judge already has put together a Hall of Fame resume and he has helped bring that excitement back to the game. The game will truly miss Judge when he decides to hang it up.