The Yankees’ lineup against the Rays today includes both Aaron Judge (in right field and batting eighth) and Tyler Austin (at first base and batting seventh). FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal tweeted yesterday that Austin would be promoted. Both players will make their MLB debuts today. The moves coincide with the Yankees’ expected release of Alex Rodriguez., a move that is now official. The Yankees have also optioned righty Ben Heller and placed righty Conor Mullee (hand) on the 60-day DL.
[Related: Updated Yankees Depth Chart]
Of the two prospects, the 24-year-old Judge has the higher (and, literally, bigger) profile. A hulking (6’7, 275 pounds) slugger with huge raw power, the 2013 first-round pick has hit 19 home runs this season for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, batting .270/.366/.489 in the process. MLB.com currently rates him the No. 27 prospect in the Majors, comparing his build and raw power to Giancarlo Stanton. (Baseball America rated Judge the game’s 76th-best prospect heading into the season.) Judge ranks as the Yankees’ fourth-best prospect, behind newcomers Clint Frazier and Gleyber Torres as well as Jorge Mateo.
It’s unclear how much success Judge will have right away, as his minor league numbers, while certainly fine overall, haven’t always been overwhelming. His strikeout tendencies (he had 144 whiffs last season and 98 so far this year) might be an area upon which he could improve. His potential tape-measure home runs, however, could make for any number of exciting highlights, and he won’t to hit like a superstar to improve upon current right fielder Aaron Hicks, who has batted just .198/.259/.314 this season.
The 24-year-old Austin has spent parts of seven seasons in the Yankees’ farm system, but has come on strong this season, batting .294/.392/.524 overall, including .323/.415/.637 with 13 home runs in 234 plate appearances for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He can play all four corner spots, although he’s spent most of this season at first base, where he’ll presumably take plate appearances from Mark Teixeira, who’s set to retire at the end of the season. If Judge and/or Austin stick in the big leagues, they’ll each be eligible for arbitration following the 2019 season and free agency following the 2022 campaign.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Dope.
About time. Glad to see Jusge finally up in the bigs
Someone has to be sent down though. And it’s not Aaron Hicks cause he’s in the lineup today too.
Now rumor is saying Brett Gardner to the DL
Wonder whether Gardner to the DL
I’m totally fine with this statement:
“It’s unclear how much success Judge will have right away, as his minor league numbers, while certainly fine overall, haven’t always been overwhelming.”
But I think you and several others are selling this kid short, like way, way short. I’ve been watching baseball for a long time and no doubt this kid has type of swing and bombs, those of the late 80’s and 90’s — the moonshot homeruns. This kid hit one the other night that was demolished and it didn’t even look like he tried. Watch the video of the homer from last night too. Wow.
Legit power. Don’t think he will be a star immediately but an above average bat at the least
Judge smells like Kyle Blanks. The kid better start learning Japanese to ease the transition.
I’m confused. Is Judge transitioning into a Japanese person? Also why are you smelling Kyle Blanks?
As someone who’s seen Judge ALOT as he’s in my backyard playing…Maybe one of the most overrated prospects I’ve seen. He’s going to strikeout 2-3 times more then he walks. Probably a 200 strikeout per year kid, WITH POWER yes. 2 kids I seen for the Phillies AA team have as much, if not more power, better averages and strikeout the same way and you hear nothing about them.
Whose the Phillies prospects btw, curious.
Dylan Cousins
Rhyse Hoskins
Rhys Hoskins and Dylan Cozens. Both over 30 HRs for the year.
Damn. That’s pretty impressive. Both at same level? Or they mixed up?
Both at AA.
Yes we should have you be our scout cause I read all the time that the Phillies have lots of players with more power. The kid hasn’t even took 1 at bat and your putting him down. But what do I know am not the pro like you even though I haven’t seen this guy’s with amazing power and either has mlb.Com or baseball America but you seen them so it must be true.
I am so tired of all the criticism of players that did not even have one at bat in the majors. The Yankees have one worst outfield power outages in the history of their organization. What do they have about 15 homeruns among the players on the team. I have been a Yankees fan since the mid 60’s. Those teams late in the 60’s totally sucked! Even they had more power in the outfield. It’s time for the Yankees to see what they have from the minors. This is the only way we all will find out. Also don’t forget we have a bunch of idiots running this team right now. I don’t see that changing anytime soon!
No offense, but I’ll take the scouting reports of the 30 MLB organizations that have coveted Judge of your observations. Baseball has changed a lot in the past 25 years. No more slap hitting the ball trying to put in in play. No more Charley Lau hitting fundamentals. It’s a power game now and teams tolerate strikeouts. I remember when a player striking out 100 times in a season was considered a ton of strikeouts. AL MVP Josh Donaldson struck out 133 times last year. Mike frigging Trout struck out 150+ times last year and 180+ times the year before. Judge is no Trout or Donaldson, but he has legit 40 HR power. I’ll take that and his K’s.
Well Ed maybe its because the two kids are not as talented as Judge or maybe you are just smarter then the real scouts. But I doubt that!
I don’t think Judge is ready. Am I correct in my perception that if they had waited until September 1st, their arbitration eligibility and free agent dates would have been a year later? If so, this was a really bad move.
Good question. Not so sure
I think those dates are around the end of May.
If they waited until September to call them up and then had them start in the minors for the first few weeks next year it could push back free agency.
Future is now, let’s see what they are made of.
I hope both of these guys are as advertised, but I also hope fans in NY realize what’s going on here and give these young guys the chance to develop at the major league level. Most likely, They’re going to experience some bumps in the road the next year or two. Hopefully the fans and media are patient with them.
It’s New York. They will get one year. Then the love affair will be over. Don Mattingly was used in trade talks his first off season because he didn’t come out of the gates hot. He almost got moved to the Tigers.
People should be excited about what’s going on. I’ve been to 4 games in the past two weeks. Just a different energy in the stadium.
Red Sox farm >>>> Yankees farm
Not relevant
No
Do you understand what relevant means?
I really do hope an outfield of Frazier and Judge is the talk of the town. I personally think it would be good for baseball. The Yankees have been on the wrong track for a while but this trade deadline was amazing for that organization!
Nothing the Yankees do is “good for baseball” to fans of the 29 other teams.
His swing has holes in it the size of Arod injection scars. If he can keep his K rate below 40%, I’ll be amazed.
I don’t care how good a fielder hicks is. He’s dreadful. Cut him loose.
Let the Future begin
2017 —
– Ellsbury CF
– Hicks RF
– Frazier LF
– McCann C
– Kendrys Morales DH?
– Judge 1B
– Castro 2B
– Gregorius SS
– Headly 3B
Forget morales, McCann and Sanchez will split catching/dh duties.
Also, judge will play RF, not hicks.
And bird will be the 1b.
If healthy
What about Austin?, I’d take Morales over McCann anyday , they gotta figure out how to get rid of him
Well, both just homered in their 1st ML at bat and Judge’s crashed through a window at the Holiday Inn off the Major Deegan Expressway, so…
Back to back HRs to start off. Not bad. Yes I know, the smallest of sample sizes possible.
Ok, who else was watching live when they hit back to back homers to start their careers!!!!!
Both are legit ball players they play pro baseball obviously they have talent it’s just putting it all together. They will at worst be league average players
Judge yes, Austin no
What a start!
2018 Yankee l
1 Didi/Mateo
2 Torres/ Mateo
3. DH Donaldson/ Harper/ Judge
4 Donaldson/Torres
5 Harper/ Frazier
6 Bird/ Austin
7 Judge/ Frazier
8 Saanchez/Romine
9 Didi/Torres
Rotation- Fernandez, Tanaka, Severino, Green,Adams, Enns, and Montegomery
lol
Earlier today I replied to people complaining about the rookies coming up from the minors. Basically saying they were not very good. I was not expecting them to do something never done before. Back to back homers by the two kids in first at bats. I know, I know it a long process to remain in the majors. It’s game of adjustments. The pitches figuring out how to get you out. That news travels fast. I have been watching this team play all year with very little energy. I said several times that it was like watching paint dry! Putting all those young players in the lineup was exiting to watch. I have the MLB package every year. I was going to cancel my monthly subscription awhile ago.. I think I will keep it now just to watch these young players develop. I sure hope this is the beginning of something special. Who knows maybe in a few years they will once again become one of the best teams in the game. Hell, they may even have a shot at the playoffs this year. A long time ago one of my uncles told me “Never count the Yankees out”. Now that would be a great story.
Judge ain’t no Blanks. Swing is too compact. This dude will rule the homerun hitting contest in several years.
I’ve seen Judge in person in Trenton. He’s a big dude. Whiffs a lot though.