Aaron Judge is one of the best outfielders in baseball. He’s primarily a Gold Glove level right fielder, but he slid over to centerfield a lot last season and barely lost a step. Thanks to his incredible range, big body and a cannon of an arm, Judge can play any outfield spot at an elite level.
Could he also play the infield? It’s possible. Footage recently surfaced of the future MVP taking throws and grounders 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 he 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 sliding to first base in the future.
The Yankees have Judge under contract for nine more years. By the end of the contract, he might not be able to patrol the outfield anymore. First base inherently requires less ground to be covered, so while it might be a more difficult spot, it doesn’t require as much athleticism.
Judge has an injury history and he’s such a big body 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 has not played a single inning in the infield since becoming a pro. Even in the minor leagues, he was solely an outfielder. There’s no data on how he has played there since he hasn’t played there.
He’s been an excellent outfielder since he stepped into Yankee Stadium. First base and right field don’t share much in common except a few things, like being on the same side of the field.
Judge is nimble enough to move around at first with ease. He probably would be able to learn to field grounders there. He likely wouldn’t be a Gold Glove first baseman, but he could be hidden there without hurting the team’s defense a few years from now.
