Aaron Judge Shows Heartfelt Gratitude to Former Teammate

Chris Young made one All-Star team in his 13-year career, which included a stop in the Bronx from 2014-15. Now an analyst with MLB Network, Young was at Yankees spring training Thursday to interview the superstar he once knew as a minor leaguer.

While the topic was the Yankees 2025 season, Judge made sure to take a moment and look back. He wanted everyone to know that Young was kind and generous to him when he was just a minor leaguer. 

"You kind of led by example when you were here. I was just a young guy trying to make my way, and just even inviting me over to sit down and eat, you know, just kind of getting to know me, like little things like that go a long way," Judge said. "So for me, it’s just about trying to get to know the guys first. What do they think about it? What's their family life like? What's their situation with that? Just try to get to know them on a personal level because then once I get that personal level, we can kind of get into more of the good stuff.

"But you showed me the way years ago, man."

Judge has embraced his leadership role with quiet confidence. He has followed Young's example, showing interest in and reaching out to younger players on the team.

This spring, he mentored Spencer Jones, the highly touted prospect who struggled at the plate, and served as a sounding board. 

Judge has also praised George Lombard Jr., this spring.