From Childhood Dreams to Yankees Lore – The Story Behind Aaron Judge’s Iconic No. 99

Published 11/24/2023, 11:13 PM EST

The definition of Aaron Judge would start with the word ‘superlative’. That’s what the captain has proved to become since his MLB debut in 2016. Be it his stellar 62-home run record or the tale behind his jersey number, ‘All Rise’ never fails to surprise. Well, speaking of jerseys, his number has an enigmatic backdrop.

The 6’7 outfielder for the New York Yankees, primarily recognized for his powerful hitting sports one of the rarest numbers. It’s a rule that jersey numbers cannot exceed double digits; hence the largest number would then be 99. So Judge chose it, but the number 99 on his back is far more symbolic.

Why Does Aaron Judge Wear 99?

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Here’s the backstory. Aaron Judge was assigned the number 99 during spring training in 2016. Attached to the numbers, he chose to continue wearing it. “They gave it to me in spring training and it just kind of stuck with me a little bit,” Judge stated to NJ.com. The captain also played in Triple-A for the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre Yankees, wearing his number 99.

Before Judge, the last Pinstriper to wear No. 99 was former reliever Brian Bruney. In 1952, Charlie Keller became the first player in Major League Baseball history to wear No. 99. Keeping aside the inherent history of the number, one must know that there was a moment when Aaron Judge himself made the number historic.

Dating back to 2022, when he hit his record-breaking 62 homer runs, he etched it in the annals of history. A few months later, he signed a superb 9-year, $360 million deal contract with the Yankees, becoming the highest-paid position player in baseball ever. Judge also earned the captaincy for 2023, becoming the first player to do so since Derek Jeter’s retirement following the 2014 campaign.

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If Not 99, Then This Is What Aaron Judge Would Have Chosen

While Judge more than comfortably wears 99, it’s hard to ignore his Twitter handle, which is @theJudge44. Ever wondered why? Well, “44 is a number I really like,” he told NJ Advance Media. Sadly though 44 was never an option considering it was retired ages back, honoring the esteemed Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson, the unforgettable Yankees slugger!

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It is not easy to have achieved what Aaron Judge has. And with that, one can’t rule out the good luck charm 99 has served for him. Now given the level of success and reputation the captain has earned donning No. 99 Pinstripes, he’d rather continue with it forever. Fans only hope that his career rises as high as, or higher than the value of his jersey number itself!

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From Childhood Dreams to Yankees Lore – The Story Behind Aaron Judge’s Iconic No. 99

Why Does Aaron Judge Wear 99?

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If Not 99, Then This Is What Aaron Judge Would Have Chosen