“In the Judge era, no one is asking ‘whose clubhouse’ is this? It’s clearly Judge’s, but he does it a way that does not prove jealousy,” wrote top MLB insider Andy Martino in his latest book The Yankee Way: The Untold Inside Story. Aaron Judge’s leadership skill has always been the one thing that has set him apart from the rest of the New York Yankees squad. Always there to support his teammates, one rarely hears of any ego battle taking place within that clubhouse. According to Martino, that’s the one thing that sets Judge apart from his predecessor Derek Jeter.

In an excerpt posted on SNY, Martino shared his experiences working and talking with the New York Yankees captains. He noted that while Jeter might have been a more successful captain, Judge “was the most inclusive, authentic and effective leader” the Yankees have had during Brian Cashman’s career. Martino’s logic for it was simple – Judge doesn’t try to control the clubhouse like Jeter did. That’s what makes him “the best leader” in the Yankees.

Though Jeter has forever been a respected figure in all of baseball, his leadership wasn’t always just. According to Martino, there was a time in the latter stages of the 2000s when the Yankees clubhouse had a clear divide between two groups – one that had won the World Series in the 90s and 2000s and one that hadn’t. The fact that this happened right when Jeter had another rivalry within the squad pointed at his failure to maintain peace.

Martino shared that when Brian Cashman revealed to Captain Clutch that Alex Rodriguez was coming to the Yankees, the only thing that Jeter said was “Okay” and that too after a long pause. Despite their hints and interviews, Jeter and A-Rod weren’t ever close during the latter’s stay with the Bronx Bombers and that created a tense environment. However, Aaron Judge is the stark opposite of Jeter.

Instead of getting threatened by anyone’s presence, the 2022 AL MVP thrives in having more stars. That was evident in the way he dealt with Giancarlo Stanton and Juan Soto’s arrival.

Aaron Judge’s Yankees-first ideology might be leading toward more stability 

Aaron Judge couldn’t contain his excitement when Giancarlo Stanton first came to the Yankees. “You’re adding an MVP guy to a team that was just a win away from the World Series. I’m all for it. I’ll do whatever I can,” Judge said to Brian Cashman. While the media and some fans tried to pit them against each other due to their similarities (tall, explosive outfielders), the two quickly bonded together. 

That has been the theme throughout Aaron Judge’s tenure with the New York Yankees. Even when Juan Soto first arrived at the scene All Rise remained the same. Instead of getting threatened, he welcomed Soto with open arms and struck a friendship with him. This non-dominating and welcoming leadership skill has made Judge a true beacon of light in the Bronx Clubhouse. The players rarely question his leadership and he rarely questions their loyalty. 

So is Aaron Judge better than Derek Jeter? That’s speculative. But is he the best leader there is in the Yankees today? There’s no doubt about that.