Over an 11-year MLB career, Judge has accumulated a Rookie of the Year award, three Most Valuable Player awards, eight All-Star selections, and five Silver Slugger Awards. Yet, he notes that the greatest honor of his career isn’t any individual trophy.
Judge recently shared at Fanatics Fest that the title he values most is being named team captain by the Yankees. He described the role as something earned every day, rather than given, emphasizing that wearing the “C” represents how he prepares and competes. “Being team captain is probably my biggest career accolade,” he said. “It’s not something that was just given once. You earn it every single day. You represent your team… This is why you got the ‘C’ on your chest — because of how you prepare and play the game. So for me, that’s the coolest part. Be an example for my teammates, be an example for the fans, and just go out there and win as many games for the Yankees as I can.”
History of Yankees Captains
Judge is the 16th player in franchise history to hold the captaincy. He was named captain in 2022, ending an eight-year period without a captain after Derek Jeter retired in 2014. Jeter remains the longest-tenured Yankees captain, having worn the role for 11 seasons. If Judge finishes his Yankees tenure as captain, he would become the sixth player in team history to spend his entire career with New York while holding the captaincy.
Throughout Yankees lore, other legendary captains include Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Thurman Munson, and Don Mattingly. Notably, seven of the 16 captains served in the captaincy before Ruth’s era began in the early 1900s.
In reflecting on his path, Judge emphasizes leadership by example on and off the field, aiming to inspire his teammates and supporters alike as he continues to contribute to the 27-time World Series champions.
