History of Aaron Judge in Timeline
Aaron Judge is a celebrated American professional baseball outfielder for the New York Yankees. A seven-time MLB All-Star and two-time AL MVP, he holds the American League record for most home runs in a single season with 62. His towering stature and powerful hitting ability have solidified his position as one of the premier power hitters and right-handed batters in MLB history.
1921: Babe Ruth's Home Run Record
In 1921, Babe Ruth set the single-season record for most home runs hit by a Yankees player at his home ballpark, a record surpassed by Aaron Judge in 2017.
1921: Babe Ruth's 1921 Season
In 1921, Babe Ruth was one of the players who hit at least 55 home runs and stole at least 15 bases in a single MLB season, a feat Aaron Judge later matched.
1927: Lou Gehrig's Yankees Record
In 1927, Lou Gehrig joined Babe Ruth as one of the only Yankees to hit 40 home runs in a season at age 25 or younger, a milestone later achieved by Aaron Judge.
1932: Tying Jimmie Foxx's Record in 1932
In September 2022, Aaron Judge surpassed Jimmie Foxx's 1932 record for the AL single season record for most home runs by a right handed batter.
1937: Joe DiMaggio's Yankees Record
In 1937, Joe DiMaggio joined Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig as one of the only Yankees to hit 40 home runs in a season at age 25 or younger, a milestone later achieved by Aaron Judge.
1938: Tying Hank Greenberg's Record in 1938
In September 2022, Aaron Judge equaled Hank Greenberg's 1938 record of 11 multiple home run games in an MLB season.
1939: Ted Williams' Rookie Walk Record
In 1939, Ted Williams set the record for the most walks by a rookie in a season, a record surpassed by Aaron Judge in 2017.
1950: Al Rosen's Rookie Walk Record
In 1950, Al Rosen set a record as the first AL rookie with 100 walks in a season, a record broken by Aaron Judge in 2017.
1953: Jim Gilliam's MLB Rookie Walk Record
In 1953, Jim Gilliam was the last rookie in MLB to reach 100 walks in a season before Aaron Judge achieved the same feat in 2017.
1956: Mickey Mantle's Yankees Record
In 1956, Mickey Mantle joined Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Joe DiMaggio as one of the only Yankees to hit 40 home runs in a season at age 25 or younger, a milestone later achieved by Aaron Judge.
1957: Breaking Ted Williams' Intentional Walks Record
In 2025, Aaron Judge's 36 intentional walks broke Ted Williams' 1957 American League single-season record of 34 intentional walks.
1980: Joe Lefebvre's Home Run Record
In 1980, Joe Lefebvre homered in each of his first two MLB games, a feat matched by Aaron Judge in 2016.
1987: McGwire's 40 Home Runs Record
In 1987, Mark McGwire became the first rookie in MLB history to hit 40 home runs in a season, a feat matched by Aaron Judge in 2017.
April 26, 1992: Aaron Judge Born
On April 26, 1992, Aaron James Judge, the future MLB outfielder for the New York Yankees, was born.
1997: Ken Griffey Jr.'s 1997-98 Seasons
In 1997 and 1998, Ken Griffey Jr. was one of the players who hit at least 55 home runs and stole at least 15 bases in a single MLB season, a feat Aaron Judge later matched.
1998: Sammy Sosa's 1998 Season
In 1998, Sammy Sosa was one of the players who hit at least 55 home runs and stole at least 15 bases in a single MLB season, a feat Aaron Judge later matched.
2001: Alex Rodriguez's Single-Inning Home Run Record
In 2025, Aaron Judge broke a tie with Alex Rodriguez's 2001 record for the most first-inning home runs by a player in a single season.
2007: Alex Rodriguez's Home Run Streak
In 2007, Alex Rodriguez had the longest home run streak by a Yankees player, hitting home runs in five consecutive games between September 4-9, a streak tied by Aaron Judge in 2020.
2010: Graduation from Linden High School
In 2010, Aaron Judge graduated from Linden High School, where he excelled in baseball, football, and basketball, setting a school record for touchdowns in football and leading the basketball team in points per game.
2010: Oakland Athletics Draft
In 2010, Aaron Judge was selected by the Oakland Athletics in the 31st round of the MLB draft but chose to attend California State University, Fresno instead.
2011: Fresno State Success
In 2011, Fresno State shared the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) regular-season title, won the WAC Tournament, and qualified for the NCAA Division I baseball tournament, with Judge being named a Freshman All-American by Louisville Slugger.
July 2012: Joined Mountain West Conference
In July 2012, California State University, Fresno joined the Mountain West Conference (MW) before Aaron Judge's junior season.
2012: Curtis Granderson's Strikeout Record
In 2012, Curtis Granderson set the Yankees' record for strikeouts, a record broken by Aaron Judge in 2017.
2012: Mike Trout's Rookie of the Month Streak
In 2012, Mike Trout won four consecutive AL Rookie of the Month awards, setting a precedent that Aaron Judge nearly matched in 2017.
2013: Signed with the Yankees
In 2013, Aaron Judge signed with the New York Yankees after being drafted in the first round, receiving a $1.8 million signing bonus, but he missed the season due to a quadriceps injury.
2014: Endorsement of Under Armour Gear
From 2014, Aaron Judge endorsed Under Armour gear until 2018.
2014: Professional Debut
In 2014, Aaron Judge made his professional debut with the Charleston RiverDogs and was later promoted to the Tampa Yankees, achieving high batting averages and on-base percentages in both leagues.
2015: Spring Training and All-Star Futures Game Selection
In 2015, Aaron Judge was invited to spring training by the Yankees and played for the Trenton Thunder before being promoted to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. He was also chosen to play in the 2015 All-Star Futures Game.
2015: Kris Bryant's Rookie Strikeout Record
In 2015, Kris Bryant set the rookie record for strikeouts, a record broken by Aaron Judge in 2017.
2015: Statcast Adoption
In 2015, Statcast was adopted and began measuring exit velocities of home runs, providing data for records later set and broken by Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton.
August 13, 2016: MLB Debut with Home Run
On August 13, 2016, Aaron Judge made his MLB debut for the Yankees, hitting a home run in his first at-bat against the Tampa Bay Rays, following teammate Tyler Austin who also homered in his debut.
September 13, 2016: Season-Ending Injury
On September 13, 2016, Aaron Judge's debut season ended prematurely when he was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a grade two right oblique strain.
2016: Batting Average in 2016
In 2016, Aaron Judge had a batting average of .179 with the Yankees, which he later used as motivation for improvement.
2016: MLB Debut
In 2016, Aaron Judge made his Major League Baseball debut for the New York Yankees.
2016: International League All-Star Team
In 2016, Aaron Judge was named to the International League All-Star Team while playing for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, though he missed the All-Star Game due to a knee sprain.
May 15, 2017: Sports Illustrated Cover and Tonight Show Appearance
On May 15, 2017, Aaron Judge appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated with the title "All Rise" and also appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, posing undercover in Bryant Park to interact with Yankee fans.
November 6, 2017: Cover Athlete for MLB The Show 18
On November 6, 2017, Aaron Judge was announced as the cover athlete for MLB The Show 18.
2017: Endorsement Deal with Pepsi
Following his 2017 rookie season, Aaron Judge signed a multi-year endorsement deal with Pepsi.
2017: AL Home Run Leader
In 2017, Aaron Judge finished the regular season leading the AL in home runs and runs scored, while also setting a major-league rookie record for walks.
2017: Motivation from Past Performance
In 2017, Aaron Judge used his 2016 batting average of .179 as motivation, keeping a note of it on his phone and looking at it daily.
2017: Record-Breaking Home Run and Player of the Month Honors
In June 2017, Aaron Judge set a Statcast record with a 121.1 mph home run, hit a 495-foot home run, was named AL Player of the Week, and then AL Player of the Month, also earning his third consecutive AL Rookie of the Month award.
2017: Postseason Performance
In the 2017 postseason, Aaron Judge hit a home run in the Wild Card Game, robbed a home run in the ALDS, and hit three home runs in the ALCS, but the Yankees lost to the Houston Astros in Game 7. He also set a major league record with 27 strikeouts during the postseason.
August 9, 2018: Exit Velocity Record Broken
On August 9, 2018, Giancarlo Stanton broke Aaron Judge's exit velocity record, launching a home run with an exit velocity of 121.7 miles per hour.
2018: Endorsement Deal with Adidas
In the 2018 season, Aaron Judge signed an endorsement deal with Adidas, after endorsing Under Armour gear from 2014 until the 2018 season.
2019: Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award
In 2019, Aaron Judge earned the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award for his position as a right fielder, leading the league in defensive runs saved despite playing fewer innings than Cody Bellinger.
2019: Home Run Over Green Monster
On September 8, 2019, Aaron Judge hit a home run over Fenway Park's Green Monster, setting a new franchise record for team home runs in a season for the Yankees.
2020: Home Run Streak and Injuries
In the shortened 2020 season, Aaron Judge began with a five-game home run streak and was later placed on the injured list twice due to a right calf strain, impacting his performance and games played.
November 23, 2021: All-MLB Team Selection
On November 23, 2021, Aaron Judge was named to the First Team of the All-MLB Team as an outfielder, recognizing his performance during the 2021 season.
December 2021: Marriage to Samantha Bracksieck
In December 2021, Aaron Judge married Samantha Bracksieck in a private ceremony in Maui. They had met at Linden High School and both attended Fresno State University.
2021: Shohei Ohtani AP Male Athlete of the Year
In 2022, Aaron Judge edged out Shohei Ohtani, who was the 2021 winner of the AP Male Athlete of the Year award.
December 2022: Free Agency Negotiations
In early December 2022, Aaron Judge was in free agency and was pursued by the San Diego Padres, the San Francisco Giants, and the Yankees. The Padres offered Judge over $400 million, while the Yankees initially offered $320 million over eight years.
December 20, 2022: Signing with the Yankees and Named Captain
On December 20, 2022, Aaron Judge signed a nine-year, $360 million deal with the Yankees, breaking the record for the largest free agent deal in MLB history. He was also named the 16th captain of the Yankees, the first since Derek Jeter's retirement.
December 30, 2022: AP Male Athlete of the Year
On December 30, 2022, Aaron Judge was voted The Associated Press (AP) "Male Athlete of the Year", recognized by sports writers and editors for his outstanding performance.
2022: Re-signed with the Yankees and Named Captain
Following the 2022 season, Aaron Judge re-signed with the Yankees on a nine-year, $360-million contract and was named the team's captain.
2022: Appearance on Logic's Album
In 2022, Aaron Judge appeared on a 23-second skit on rapper Logic's album Vinyl Days named after himself.
2022: AL MVP and Home Run Record
In 2022, Aaron Judge won his first MVP award and set the AL single-season home run record, breaking Roger Maris's 61-year-old record.
2022: Expiration of Adidas Deal
In 2022, Aaron Judge's endorsement deal with Adidas expired.
August 2023: Shoe Deal with Jordan Brand
In August 2023, Aaron Judge signed a shoe deal with Nike's Jordan Brand, becoming the fifth active MLB player to do so.
September 2023: AL Player of the Month Award
In September 2023, Aaron Judge claimed his third AL Player of the Month Award, showcasing his strong performance with a .417/.565/.869 batting line for the month.
January 2024: "All-Star Evening" Gala
In January 2024, Aaron Judge's ALL RISE Foundation hosted an "All-Star Evening" gala on Wall Street, raising nearly $800,000 for youth programs in New York City.
March 2024: Ralph Lauren Fragrance Deal
In March 2024, Aaron Judge was named the face of Ralph Lauren's new fragrance, "Polo Est. 67 Eau de Toilette," and its "Design Your Dreams" ad campaign.
April 2024: Endorsement Deal with Prime
In April 2024, Aaron Judge agreed to endorse the energy drink Prime.
2024: Guest Star on Rubble & Crew
In 2024, Aaron Judge and his two dachshunds guest-starred on an episode of Rubble & Crew, a PAW Patrol spin-off. His wife voiced their dog Penny.
2024: Second MVP Award
In 2024, Aaron Judge won his second MVP award by unanimous vote, leading MLB in home runs and OPS and becoming the fastest MLB player to reach 300 career home runs. That postseason, the Yankees won their first AL pennant in 15 years but lost in the World Series.
2024: Breaking His Own Single-Inning Home Run Record
In 2025, Aaron Judge broke his own mark from 2024 for the most first-inning home runs by a player in a single season.
January 2025: Birth of First Child
In January 2025, Aaron Judge and Samantha Bracksieck welcomed their first child, a daughter.
April 14, 2025: Named Captain of Team USA
On April 14, 2025, Aaron Judge was announced as the captain of Team USA for the 2026 World Baseball Classic by manager Mark DeRosa on MLB Network.
2025: Successful 2025 Season
In 2025, Aaron Judge finished the regular season with a .331 batting average, leading the major leagues and winning his first career batting title. He recorded 53 home runs, 179 hits, and 114 RBI, with 36 intentional walks, breaking the American League single-season record. He was named the AL Player of the Month for September and secured AL Player of the Week honors on September 29.
2026: World Baseball Classic
In 2025, Aaron Judge was named captain of Team USA ahead of the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
2026: Named Captain of Team USA
In 2026, Aaron Judge was named captain of Team USA ahead of the World Baseball Classic.
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