Rookies Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger are making their mark with homer after homer.
When Aaron Judge dispatched Justin Bour in the first round of the Home Run Derby in Miami, he gave Bour a brief hug and pat on the back. When Judge beat Miguel Sano in the finals, he was doused with water and Gatorade by his celebrating teammates.
But when Judge beat Cody Bellinger in the semifinals, the 25-year-old Yankees rookie star did something different. As soon as Judge blasted his 507-foot moonshot to vanquish Bellinger, he made a point to walk over to his fellow rookie slugger, wrap his arms around him and give him a message.
“I just said, ‘Way to put on a show, man. That was awesome,’ ” Judge said. “It’s pretty cool watching him develop this year. When he first came up, what he’s done in this first half, what he did in the Home Run Derby, he’s a special player and a special kid.”
As for Bellinger?
“(Judge) is special,” the 22-year-old Dodgers rookie said. “He was (mis-hitting) balls and putting them where I was hitting them. He’s going to be fun to watch for a lot of years.”
Two of the game’s brightest young stars collided that night in Miami and provided a glimpse of the future. They have each taken the game by storm in the nation’s two largest media markets, hitting home runs at unprecedented rates and propelling their teams to new heights.
Judge and Bellinger met each other for the first time in person the night of the home run Derby. If all goes according to plan, they will be seeing a lot of each other in the future at marketing shoots, All-Star Games and, quite possibly, the World Series.
Bu hikaye Baseball America dergisinin August 04 2017 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Baseball America dergisinin August 04 2017 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Wood Has Towering Upside- Nationals rookie James Wood also stands 6-foot-7 and also has game-changing power.
Aaron Judge and Oneil Cruz are 6-foot7 sluggers who stand out for their power in this year’s MLB Best Tools voting. Wood spent half of this season with Triple-A Rochester before making his MLB debut on July 1. While he was in the International League, he captured managers’ attention. Wood unanimously won Best Power Prospect and also claimed Most Exciting Player in a survey of league skippers. Wood hit .353/.463/.595 with 10 home runs in 52 games for Rochester. His .242 isolated slugging was the best for a player 21 or younger at Triple-A this season.
ROAD BLOCK?
Scholarship expansion puts mid-majors at a major disadvantage on the road to Omaha
ROYALS REVIVAL
A revamped and rejuvenated farm system has Kansas City ready to rebound
SUMMER STANDOUTS
The top prospects in summer college leagues are poised to impact the 2025 draft
FLORIDA COMPLEX LEAGUE TOP 10
Last year’s Florida Complex League prospect crop has been beset by lengthy injuries to many of its top players, including Yankees pitchers Henry Lalane and Carlos Lagrange, Mets infielder Marco Vargas and Red Sox catcher Johanfran Garcia.
IN WITH THE NEW
The 2024 draft is in the books. The trade deadline is history.
WALCOTT BLASTS OFF
It took some time for Rangers shortstop Sebastian Walcott to find his footing at High-A Hickory.
A RECORD NIGHT FOR COLLEGIANS
Four key takeaways from the 2024 draft
K.C.MASTERPIECE
Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. wins games for the Royals with his bat, glove, speed and baseball IQ. He might be the most tooled-up player in the game.
HOW THE MAJORS HAVE CHANGED FOR YOUNG PLAYERS
When negotiating the 2022 Collective Bargaining Agreement, the MLB Players Association prioritized the earning power of young major league players, especially young stars.