Aaron Judge is carrying the Yankees’ offense on his own. Had it not been for him, the New York Yankees might not be even an option for the postseason spot. Judge grabbed the limelight in his second season when he smacked 54 home runs in 2017. Even this season, with 57 home runs already hit, Judge is on a hitting spree. But was Judge always a baseball player? Given his giant-sized height, he could have also been an NBA player or even a perfect wide receiver in the NFL. So why baseball? It is more surprising because he was equally good in basketball and football in his school days. And had he chosen either the NBA or NFL, he would have made more money, more name, and fame, given the popularity of these leagues. But instead, he chose baseball as a career. AARON JUDGE JUST LISTENED TO HIS HEART Per an old interview with ESPN, Aaron Judge, [http://essentiallysports.com/tag/aaron-judge] admitted that he just fell in love with baseball. Even though Judge still loves to play basketball and football, the Yankees star found baseball the most thrilling sport to have a career in. Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton celebrate a victory [https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/2021-09-25T001453Z_2055435201_MT1USATODAY16817528_RTRMADP_3_MLB-NEW-YORK-YANKEES-AT-BOSTON-RED-SOX.jpg]Sep 24, 2021; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (27) celebrates his three run home run against the Boston Red Sox with right fielder Aaron Judge (99) during the third inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports “I just fell in love with baseball at a young age. Just a game within a game. A little chess match between the pitcher and the hitter. It kinda just drew me in,” Judge said [https://www.espn.in/video/clip?id=19966760]. READ MORE: MVP Contender Aaron Judge’s Mind-Blowing Football Stats Are as Good as Super Bowl Champ Wide Receiver [https://www.essentiallysports.com/mlb-baseball-news-nfl-news-mvp-contender-aaron-judge-mind-blowing-football-stats-are-as-good-as-super-bowl-champ-wide-receiver-odell-beckham-jr/] The Yankees slugger was more passionate about baseball. “I love playing football, I miss it. I love playing basketball. Still shoot around a little bit. But I just kept getting drawn to baseball for some strange reason. It’s just a little passion I have for it,” Aaron Judge added. It is not a secret that Judge was an excellent wide receiver on his school football team. His school-level football stats [https://www.maxpreps.com/athlete/aaron-judge/dORCRvTlEeKZ5AAmVebBJg/football/stats.htm] are mind-blowing. Only at a senior level, Judge had 969 yards and 17 touchdowns in his name. But he listened to his heart, and guess what? He won [https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/judgeaa01.shtml] the Rookie of the Year in 2017, and now he is the current favorite to win the American League MVP. WATCH THIS STORY: New York Yankees Star Aaron Judge’s Impressive Workout Routine [https://www.essentiallysports.com/stories/mlb-news-new-york-yankees-star-aaron-judge-s-impressive-workout-routine/] Do you think Judge made the right decision in choosing baseball over football and basketball? 

American League MVP front-runner Aaron Judge could have had a different career
than baseball. But the Yankees star followed his heart.

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‘Game Within a Game’- Yankees Phenom Aaron Judge Opened Up on What Made Him
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Aaron Judge

Aaron Judge Net Worth 2024: Contract, Earnings, Endorsements, and More 6 feet 7 inches tall, Aaron Judge made his MLB debut with the New York Yankees in 2016. With his mammoth size as an instant standout point, Judge became the face of the Yankees right after he smashed 52 homers in 2017 and won the AL Rookie of the Year award. Since then, the 30-year-old outfielder&#8217;s journey to the helm of the iconic Bronx has been nothing but inspiring. How much Aaron Judge would earn in 2024: An insight into his net worth Based on a detailed analysis carried out by the FanFest, the 2022 AL MVP&#8217;s net worth is estimated to be approximately $55 million in 2024. NEW YORK, NEW YORK &#8211; OCTOBER 03: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees celebrates after hitting a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat the Tampa Bay Rays 1-0 at Yankee Stadium on October 03, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) From 2016 to 2022, Aaron Judge earned an impressive cumulative salary of $40 million in Major League Baseball (MLB). Besides Judge has secured several lucrative endorsement deals. From Where Aaron Judgeâ€™s family hails from: Know about his early life and family background Born and brought up in California, Aaron Judge was adopted two days after he was born on April 26, 1992. Although Aaron is an American by nationality, his ethnicity is biracial. There is no information available about his biological parents, and as far as Aaron Judge is concerned, he has only one set of parents, the ones that raised him. In terms of his religious beliefs, Judge&#8217;s Instagram and Twitter profiles read &#8220;Christian.&#8221; He&#8217;s also spoken about his favorite verse from the Bible, 2 Corinthians 5:7:? For we walk by faith, not by sight.? Both his parents, Patty Judge and Wayne Judge, worked as teachers in Linden, California. Like Aaron and his wife Samantha, who eventually became high school sweethearts, Patty and Wayne too met at Fresno State University. In 1975, Patty and Wayne married, and ten years later, they adopted their first son, John Jacob. Seven years after adopting Aaron&#8217;s older brother John, Patty and Wayne met Aaron, &#8220;who was a pretty big baby,&#8221; when he was only two days old, and adopted him in 1992. At the tender age of 10, Aaron realized that he didn&#8217;t look like his parents and started asking questions. Both Patty and Wayne were transparent with him and told him the truth about his adoption. Over the years, Aaron has maintained a very close relationship with his parents. In fact, his sole source of inspiration was his mother, Patty, who is also the reason Aaron Judge eventually became a Yankee. In a 2017 interview, Judge said, &#8220;I know I wouldn&#8217;t be a New York Yankee if it wasn&#8217;t for my mom&#8230;She&#8217;s molded me into the person that I am today.&#8221; ? How long has Aaron Judge been married to Samantha Bracksieck?Â  Samantha Bracksieck is the 29-year-old wife of Aaron Judge, the current New York Yankees captain. Their love story began during their high school days at Linden High School in California, where they met and started dating, but their relationship was on and off throughout their time there. Aaron and Samantha reunited at Fresno State University after their high school days came to an end, and they have been together since. In 2014, Judge made their relationship &#8220;official&#8221; through a Thanksgiving post featuring Samantha. The two tied the knot in a private ceremony in Maui, Hawaii, in 2020, with some of Aaron&#8217;s Yankee teammates in attendance, including Gary Sanchez, Luis Cessa, and Gleyber Torres. A talented athlete: Sports Aaron Judge excelled during his school and college days Growing up near the Bay Area, Aaron Judge was a massive San Francisco Giants fan before he eventually arrived in the Big Apple. The future New York Yankees captain played and mastered three sports during his high school days at Linden High School. He played as a wide receiver on the football team, a first baseman for the baseball team, and a center in basketball. Eventually, in 2010, Judge graduated from high school and got picked by the Oakland Athletics in the 2010 MLB draft. However, in 2011, Judge opted out and enrolled at Fresno State University to play for the Bulldogs in the Western Athletic Conference. From being a part of a Fresno State team to leading the Bulldogs in home runs, doubles, and runs batted in (RBIs), Judge was named to the all-conference team in all three of his seasons for the Bulldogs. Made for MLB: A look into his baseball career After opting out of the Athletics in 2010, Aaron Judge returned to the MLB Draft in 2013 and was selected by the New York Yankees in the first round as the 32nd overall selection. The Pinstripes offered Judge a $1.8 million signing bonus. Unfortunately for a young Aaron, he had to miss the entire 2013 season due to an injury during a base running drill. NEW YORK, NEW YORK &#8211; MAY 24: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees swings at a pitch during the third inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium on May 24, 2023 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) Three years later, in August 2016, he made his MLB debut with the New York Yankees against the Tampa Bay Rays, starting at right field. Just like his first minor league season, his 2016 season too ended abruptly after he was placed on the 15-day injured list in September. Before the start of the 2017 season, the Yanks named Aaron Judge as their Opening Day right fielder, and it was the beginning of a new era in the Yankees&#8217; history. In his first full season, Judge smashed 52 homers, led the AL home run leader chart, won the Rookie of the Year award, and made his first All-Star appearances. From then on, Judge established his presence in the big leagues, and the Yankees found a bankable outfielder. Little did they know that they had also found their future captain. By 2022, which turned out to be Judge&#8217;s career-defining season, he was already the face of the Yankees and the expected captain. The slugger surpassed every possible expectation, smashed 62 homers, won the AL Hank Aaron Award, almost won the Triple Crown for the first time since 2012, and most importantly, won the American League MVP award. As a result of a spectacular 2022 season, Judge was appointed the captain of the New York Yankees on Opening Day 2023 for the next nine years. Judge entered the 2023 season with a $40 million salary, &#8220;the third-highest in baseball&#8221;, hanging below pitchers Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander. SEATTLE, WASHINGTON &#8211; MAY 29: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees celebrates with teammates after hitting a one-run home run during the sixth inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on May 29, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images) Before the 2023 began, many expected Judge to hit 60 homers again or maybe surpass his record from a year before. After hitting 5 HRs in April, Aaron&#8217;s bat heated up to 12 HRs in May. Shortly after, on June 4th, Judge pursued a ball hit by Los Angeles Dodgers slugger JD Martinez, making the catch but crashing through an outfield gate at Dodger Stadium and fracturing his big toe. Intended to be on a 10-day IL, he missed around 2 months of play, with Shohei Ohtani taking the lead.Â  Despite Judge&#8217;s heroics after returning from IL, the Yankees underperformed, failing to win the AL East and ultimately falling short of the playoffs. Judge himself expressed disappointment with the team&#8217;s outcome, calling the season a &#8220;failure.&#8221; Overall, Judge&#8217;s 2023 season was a testament to his individual talent, but it also highlighted the importance of team performance in achieving ultimate success. Here are some of the key highlights from Aaron Judge&#8217;s baseball career so far: All-MLB Second Team (2023) Roberto Clemente Award (2023) AL MVP (2022) AL Hank Aaron Award (2022) AL RBI leader (2022) AP Athlete of the Year (2022) 2x All-MLB First Team (2021, 2022) Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award (2019) 2x AL home run leader (2017, 2022) AL Rookie of the Year (2017) 3x Silver Slugger Award (2017, 2021, 2022) 5x All-Star (2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023) The success of the New York Yankees in 2024 depends on Captain Aaron Judge staying injury-free and delivering consistent performances. A Yankees faithful: The story behind his MLB contract In 2013, after Aaron Judge signed with the New York Yankees after the MLB draft, he received a $1.8 million signing bonus. Eventually, in 2016, Judge made his debut with the New York Yankees. Following that, until the end of 2022, when he would be eligible to be a free agent, he continued to avoid arbitration. In 2022, after failed negotiations for a seven-year contract worth $213.5 million, Judge signed a one-year contract with the Yankees for $19 million and avoided arbitration again. BRONX, NEW YORK &#8211; DECEMBER 21: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees speaks to the media during a press conference at Yankee Stadium on December 21, 2022 in Bronx, New York. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images) Before entering his career-defining 2022 season, Aaron Judge placed a massive bet on himself. The outfielder strongly believed he deserved more than a $230 million contract for eight years. As the 2022 season started, not only did Judge prove every critic wrong, but he also established himself as a player who wouldn&#8217;t succumb to pressure. After smashing 62 homers, setting a new American League record, and almost carrying the New York Yankees to the ALCS, the 2023 offseason was bound to be fruitful for the future Yankees captain. The Bronx Bombers found competition in the Golden State&#8217;s San Francisco Giants, who were ready to put up a bid war. According to various reports, the Giants were offering Judge a whopping $360 million contract, while the Yankees were stuck at $320 million over eight years. However, a phone call between Aaron Judge and Pinstripes owner Hal Steinbrenner changed his destiny, as the outfielder decided to sign a $360 million contract with the New York Yankees for nine years. Concurrently, Judge was also elected as the Yankees captain, the first captain to fill Derek Jeter&#8216;s shoes since his retirement in 2014. BRONX, NEW YORK &#8211; DECEMBER 21: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees looks on during a press conference at Yankee Stadium on December 21, 2022 in Bronx, New York. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images) Given his physical stature and massive hitting ability in the box, endorsements quickly started lining up for Aaron Judge. In November 2017, MLB The Show 18 revealed that Judge would be their cover athlete for the 2018 edition. In the same year, he signed an endorsement deal with Pepsi. Through the 2018 season, Aaron Judge signed a contract with Adidas, which ended his contract with Under Armor in 2014. Some of the other top brands that have signed Aaron Judge for endorsements include Hulu, Jersey Mike&#8217;s, JBL, Oakley, Bloomingdale&#8217;s, Esurance, T-Mobile, Fanatics, FanJolt, WIN Reality, Topps, Franklin, Sorare MLB, Waiakea, and A SHOC Energy. A champion off the field: Know more about his philanthropic workÂ  In 2018, Aaron Judge established the All Rise Foundation to inspire young people in the United States by engaging them in endeavors and events that demonstrate the abundance of boundless possibilities. The All Rise Foundation&#8217;s board of directors is entirely composed of women, with Patty Judge Aaron Judge&#8217;s mother serving as both, the executive director and president of the foundation. Samantha is actively involved in Aaron&#8217;s All Rise Foundation, where she plays a crucial role in the foundation&#8217;s operations. Together, the couple has participated in various charitable activities, such as visiting schools and hospitals in their hometown, furthering their charitable drive.  Full Name Aaron Judge  Birth Date April 26, 1992  Birth Place Sacramento, California, U.S.  Height 6 feet 7 inches  Weight 282 lbs  Parents Patty Judge (Mother) Wayne Judge (Father)  Siblings John Judge (Elder Brother)  Nationality American  Ethnicity Biracial  Net Worth $50 million  Salary $40 million  Wife Samantha Bracksieck  Children None  Current Team New York Yankees  Position Outfielder

‘Game Within a Game’- Yankees Phenom Aaron Judge Opened Up on What Made Him Choose Baseball Over Football and Basketball

Aaron Judge just listened to his heart