Baseball

Yankees Slugger Aaron Judge Blessed and Thankful To Be Adopted

By Jason Romano May 5, 2017
Aaron Judge in September, 2016 (Photo Credit: Arturo Pardavila III/Flickr)

Aaron Judge is on fire.

Coming into play on Friday May 5, the 25-year-old rookie outfielder for the New York Yankees is leading the Majors in Home Runs (13) and has taken the baseball world by storm.

Judge is leading the American League in almost every major offensive category, but even more, his team is in 1st place in the American League East and off to a fantastic start.

But the story of Aaron Judge doesn’t start with his arrival at Yankee Stadium. It begins with the day after he was born.

Aaron Judge was adopted on the second day of his life by Patty and Wayne Judge on April 27, 1992.

“I feel they kind of picked me,’’ Aaron told The New York Post back in 2015. “I feel that God was the one that matched us together.’’

Patty and Wayne Judge with Yankees prospect Aaron Judge at Fresno State (Photo Credit: Judge family photo)

“We’re more blessed than he is,’’ Mom Patty told the Post. “Both of our children are adopted. Aaron has an older brother, John, 29, who is teaching English in Korea, and we’re real proud of him, too. Really, it was all meant to be.’’

Aaron Judge is 6’7, 282 pounds. He’s built like an NFL tight end, and played high school football at defensive end. He even had offers from Stanford, UCLA and Notre Dame but in the end, he chose baseball.

Fresno State was the destination for college, the same place his parents attended and soon after was drafted 32nd overall by the Yankees in 2013.

Aaron Judge in July 2015 (Photo Courtesy: Jason Romano)

In watching Judge shine on the baseball field this year, many people are comparing him to the Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton.

“People have said, ‘Oh, the next Stanton,’ but I’m just trying to be the best Judge I can be every day,’’ Aaron told NY Post in 2015. “I’ve always been about the team aspect of baseball, pass the baton and keep it rolling.’’

Indeed that baton is being passed. Judge and the Yankees are rolling.

You can follow Aaron on twitter @TheJudge44 where his bio states, “Christian. Faith, Family, then Baseball. If what you did yesterday still seems big today, then you haven’t done anything today!”

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