The New York Yankees have a rich history of legacy. Synonymous with the term ‘America’, the word ‘Yankee’ holds cultural significance across the globe. Any baseball player that dons pinstripes becomes embedded in the franchise’s history, forever there to look back on. Some are lucky enough to wear the uniform for life, and some take on the title of ‘Captain’. Derek Jeter and Aaron Judge are two of that rare breed that has done both. But what does one legend think about the other?

Jeter was the 15th franchise captain and held the position for 11 years, before retiring in 2014. Two years later, Judge made his MLB debut, and then, in 2022, the club named him their leader. The two are even said to share similarities. But did Jeter play a part in naming his successor?

What does Derek Jeter think of Aaron Judge as the 16th franchise captain?

When Judge’s tumultuous free agency period came to an end in 2022, not only did he sign a lucrative contract but gained something more valuable – legacy. As he happily pointed out at the announcement, “I get a chance to continue something the Yankees are so big on, which is legacy.” The news made fans happy and his teammates happier, who already considered him their unofficial leader. This is exactly what Jeter said makes a team captain.

In a recent interview with FOX, he reiterated that he wasn’t exactly instrumental in choosing Judge because that choice will not impact him anymore.  “I said, ‘Look, it has nothing to do with me.’ If you want to find out whether someone should be named captain, I think you just ask your teammates and coaches, and the manager, and the people that are around him every day.”

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Indeed, the people that surround Judge every day are proud of him.

The New York Yankees trust Judge to lead them faithfully

A leadership position in the sports world is different from the rest. No matter how well one gets on with one’s boss, there is still a sense of hierarchy. In the sports world, the captain is still one of the guys, fighting alongside the team for victory. That is exactly who Judge is for the Bronx Bombers, who felt the most relief when the outfielder came back to New York.

“When everyone finds out you’re on the Yankees, their first question is, ‘What’s Aaron Judge like?’ He’s unlike anybody I’ve ever met because he’s such a superstar, but he treats everyone like they’re the star,” said reliever Michael King. But apparently, no one was really surprised. Lou Trivino told Bryan Hoch, “He was already the captain…In my mind, it was just a formality.”

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From Boone to Steinbrenner, everyone in the front office considers Judge capable of leadership. The current state of the team proves it; while Judge recovers on the IL, the Yankees are in tatters. But there’s hope of his return just yet.