Aaron Judge’s Historic 2025: A Start for the Ages

Aaron Judge stands as one of the most prominent figures in Major League Baseball today. Noteworthy for his exceptional size, strength, and athleticism, Judge towers at 6'7" and weighs an impressive 282 pounds, which makes him a formidable presence on the field. Selected by the New York Yankees in the 2013 draft, he swiftly ascended to become one of the premier players in the sport. His breakout campaign occurred in 2017, when he was honored with the American League Rookie of the Year award after an astounding 52 home runs, setting a record for the most home runs achieved by a rookie. Since that remarkable season, Judge has emerged as a pivotal leader for the Yankees, earning numerous All-Star selections and prestigious MVP awards. His remarkable power coupled with a strategic approach to hitting has rendered him one of the most formidable hitters in baseball, renowned for his colossal home runs and remarkable defensive plays in the outfield.

In 2024, Judge was bestowed with the title of captain of the Yankees, an accolade awarded to only a select few players throughout the team's illustrious history, including baseball legends such as Derek Jeter and Lou Gehrig. This esteemed recognition solidified Judge's role as an essential component not only of the Yankees' lineup but also within the broader narrative of the franchise's legacy.

Having already secured his status as one of the most powerful and iconic players in the game, Judge's performance in the 2025 season has escalated his greatness to unprecedented heights. With just 34 games played, Judge's statistics are propelling him from the realm of a contemporary star into that of an all-time icon.

A Start for the History Books

To truly appreciate the extraordinary nature of Judge’s season start, we must examine his batting average. This statistic quantifies how frequently a player achieves a hit in relation to their number of at-bats. A batting average of .300 is deemed exceptionally good in Major League Baseball, while batting champions—the athletes who lead the league annually—typically finish with averages ranging from .330 to .350.

In 2025, Aaron Judge is boasting an astounding batting average of .423. This figure is not merely commendable; it is historic. If he maintains this average, it would rank as the fifth highest through the first 34 games of any season in MLB history. To contextualize this, Judge’s batting average exceeds every player’s on-base percentage (OBP) in the American League, which is particularly remarkable considering that on-base percentage accounts for not only hits but also walks and instances of being hit by a pitch—categories that typically result in higher averages than batting average alone.

Moreover, Judge is not merely excelling in a single category; he is exerting his dominance across a spectrum of metrics. With a .510 on-base percentage, he is reaching base more than fifty percent of the time he appears at the plate, a feat accomplished by only the most elite hitters in the sport’s history. Additionally, his slugging percentage exceeds .700, a metric that quantifies total bases earned per at-bat, rewarding players especially for powerful hits such as doubles, triples, and home runs. This underscores the significant impact Judge is having every time he approaches the plate. He has already managed to hit 11 home runs, despite the season being just over a month old.

At present, the 33-year-old Judge leads all of Major League Baseball in hits, home runs, RBIs, total bases, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS (on-base plus slugging). Such unparalleled dominance across every major offensive category is a rarity in the sport and emphasizes the extraordinary and historic nature of his start to the season.

The Greatest Right-Handed Hitter Ever?

As if his astounding performance at the plate weren't compelling enough, Aaron Judge is now entering a discourse typically reserved for the absolute best in the history of the game. With his unparalleled combination of batting average, power, on-base capabilities, and consistency, Judge is accomplishing feats that few, if any, right-handed hitters in baseball’s storied past have ever achieved. Jayson Stark of The Athletic has even posited that Judge may indeed be the greatest right-handed hitter of all time.

Such commendations are not casually given. Judge already made headlines by hitting 62 home runs in 2022, breaking the American League single-season record. Subsequently, in 2024, he earned his second MVP award after delivering an even more comprehensive season.

Now, in 2025, Judge is operating at a level scarcely witnessed in the sport, positioning himself in a league of his own. He is entering discussions alongside baseball's most legendary figures. As Yankees broadcaster Paul O’Neill remarked during one of Judge’s recent hot streaks, “We’re watching one of the best ever to play this game.” If Judge continues on this trajectory, he may well be remembered as the gold standard for right-handed hitters throughout the history of baseball.