In recent years, Aaron Judge and the Yankees have become synonymous with each other. Especially now after the Yankees named Judge their sixteenth captain, next after Derek Jeter retired in 2014. It’s hard to imagine a world where the 30-year-old doesn’t play baseball, considering his immense talent on both sides of the ball. But once upon a time, Judge used to play more than one sport.

Talented at football as well as basketball, Judge set school records for all three games at his high school. Playing in the position of a wide receiver in football and center for the basketball team, he could have gone pro at either. However, when asked if he would have chosen to live and breathe football, the outfielder said it was a hard sport.

6ft 7 inch Aaron Judge was made for baseball

In an interview with Baseball Prospectus in 2017, the Yankee said football was tough to play, in a different way from baseball. The interviewer asked whether he would be a wide receiver or a pass-rushing defensive end in football.

To which Judge replied, “Professional football. Ah, you know what? I don’t know. It’s a tough sport, a very demanding sport. Like baseball is, in a different way. If I had put some work into it out of high school, maybe I would have went to college and played football. But I kind of think I’m made for baseball.”

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Judge’s high school football coach, Mike Huber said he was a fast runner because of his lanky build. “He didn’t stick at quarterback because he couldn’t throw the ball very well,” Huber commented. He added, “We made the decision to make him a receiver, which he became prolific at.”

Judge turned down scholarships from top universities to play baseball

Big names like Notre Dame, UCLA, Washington, and Stanford offered places to All-Rise to play football. But Judge turned down full scholarships there to go to Fresno State for baseball. Huber said he was actually shocked but then again there was nothing Judge couldn’t manage to accomplish. He was made for baseball.

Even though Judge set a school record for 17 touchdowns as well as 54 passes for 969 yards at Linden High School, football was not in the cards for him. When he chose baseball, Huber said, “I actually commended him for that. Sometimes, you take a job and you hate it. I just think he loved baseball and he stuck true to his heart and it worked out great for him.”

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Even though Judge is quite the talent at other sports, Yankees fans are sure glad he stuck to baseball!