Superstar slugger Aaron Judge has been named just the 16th Captain of the New York Yankees, just weeks after signing an astronomical nine-year, $360 million dollar contract. The Yankees have a storied history of success and have had many talented players don the pinstripes over the years. In this article, we'll take a look at the team captains for the Yankees since 1990.
Starting with the 1990 season, Don Mattingly was named team captain of the Yankees. Mattingly played for the Yankees from 1982 to 1995 and was a fan favorite for his consistent hitting and strong work ethic. He was a six-time All-Star and won nine Gold Glove Awards during his career. Mattingly served as team captain until his retirement in 1995.
After Mattingly's retirement, the Yankees went without a team captain until 2003, when Derek Jeter was named to the role. Jeter played for the Yankees from 1995 to 2014 and is widely considered one of the greatest players in team history. He was a 13-time All-Star and won five World Series titles with the Yankees. Jeter served as team captain until his retirement in 2014.
In 2015, the Yankees named Mark Teixeira as their team captain. Teixeira played for the Yankees from 2009 to 2016 and was a key member of the team's lineup during his time in New York. He was a three-time All-Star and won a World Series title with the Yankees in 2009. Teixeira served as team captain until his retirement in 2016.
Before Wednesday's Judge announcement, and since Teixeira's retirement, the Yankees have not had a team captain since 2016. However, the team has continued to have strong leadership from players such as Judge and Gerrit Cole.
Aaron Judge is one of the most talented baseball players of the modern era and is considered one of the best players in the game today. There are several reasons why Judge is considered so good:
Overall, it's easy to see why Judge was logical choice as Yankees captain. He is a very well-rounded player who excels in all aspects of the game. He is a valuable contributor to the Yankees, is a key reason for the team's success in recent years and why he scored that nine-year, $360 million dollar contract.