Aaron Judge is one of the best outfielders in baseball. He’s primarily a Gold Glove-level right fielder, but he slid a lot to center field last season and barely missed a step. Thanks to his incredible range, great body and a cannon arm from him, Judge can play anywhere in the outfield at an elite level.
Could he also play in the infield? It’s possible. Pictures recently surfaced of the future MVP taking shots and ground balls at first base, one of the positions he played in high school for the Linden Lions.
Judge was a multi-sport athlete in high school and was apparently a multi-position star on the diamond. Could that be true at the MLB level?
It’s been a long time since Judge played first base, but he obviously has some experience there. New York Yankees fans could see their MVP eventually slide to first base down the road.
The Yankees have Judge under contract for nine more years. At the end of the contract, he may no longer be able to patrol the grounds. First base inherently requires less ground to cover, so while it may be a tougher spot, it doesn’t require nearly as much athleticism.
Judge has a history of injuries and has such a big frame that it makes sense to see if he can move to the infield to protect himself and the team.
Could Aaron Judge be a good first baseman?
Aaron Judge hasn’t played a single inning in the infield since turning pro. Even in the minor leagues, he was just an outfielder. There is no data on how he has played there since he has not played there.
He’s been an excellent outfielder since he entered Yankee Stadium. First base and right field don’t have much in common except a few things, like being on the same side of the field.
Judge is agile enough to move around easily at first. He probably could learn to field ground balls there. He probably wouldn’t be a Gold Glove first baseman, but he could be hiding there without hurting the team’s defense in a few years.