Aaron Judge, a name synonymous with greatness and a true embodiment of a Yankee, has taken the baseball world by storm. But before rising to stardom, Judge’s journey to becoming the phenomenal player he is today was far from smooth. Judge’s road to where he is now was full of twists and turns. With his historic 62-home run record, Judge proved he was meant for greatness. 

But what if things had gone differently? Well, there was a possibility that Judge might have ended up as a member of the Oakland Athletics, rather than the New York Yankees. Yes! You read it right! The face of New York, in Oakland! Let’s dive deeper into the story of Judge almost becoming a part of the Oakland Athletics.

The Oakland Athletics offered Aaron Judge a spot in their 2010 draft 

The Oakland Athletics recognized Judge’s potential in high school and offered him a spot in the 31st round of the 2010 draft, hoping he would be enamored by the chance to play close to home. But Judge had bigger plans. He wanted to further hone his skills, as well as mature as a player.

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So he declined the offer and accepted a baseball scholarship to Fresno State. Turning down not just the Athletics but also several football scholarship opportunities. Judge could’ve been a football sensation rather than a phenom in the ballpark. Wonder what that would’ve been like? 

Aaron Judge, Who Aced 3 Sports Including Baseball, Once Revealed the Only Thing Which Stopped Him From Excelling Elsewhere

Despite the temptation of being a part of the big leagues, Judge knew that he wasn’t ready for the big leagues just yet. He wanted to put in the work and hone his craft as best as he could. In his own words, according to mlb.com, “When you get the opportunity like that, getting drafted — especially by Oakland, a California team, pretty close to home — it was tempting. At the time, I just didn’t think I was ready or mature enough mentally or physically to start pro ball.”

And according to fueledbysports.com, the payroll would have been massively different as well. The $360 million man almost ended up with a $120 million payroll gap, if he had instead signed with the Oakland Athletics back then.

How was Judge drafted by the Yankees?

The New York Yankees had their sight set on Aaron Judge. But so did other teams, like the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres. However, as picks were made and players were selected, the Pinstripes finally had their chance to make their move. They were able to snag Judge with the 32nd overall pick in the first round. 

Just five weeks later, Judge signed with the Yankees, securing an impressive over-slot bonus of $1.8 million and officially launching his big league career. Little did anyone know at the time, but this would mark the start of his incredible rise to becoming one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. 

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