After the season he just had, which will almost certainly yield another American League MVP award, there’s no question how much Aaron Judge means to the Yankees lineup. Leading MLB in homers (58), RBI (144) and OPS (1.144) will do that. But there is some question about how much he means to the Yankees defense.
While the unfortunate image of Judge as a fielder will now be forever linked to the fifth inning miscue on a fly ball in Game 5 of the decisive World Series loss to the Dodgers, the fact is, he is not a bad outfielder. He is more a right fielder than a center fielder, which hurts his standing in terms of advanced metrics, but he is playing center to allow a spot for right fielder Juan Soto.
One of the background questions for the Yankees, especially if they re-sign Soto this offseason, is how will that affect the team’s defense going forward? Judge, after all, is 32 years old and though he is still at the top of his game, the Yankees foresee gradually moving him from the outfield to first base.
Aaron Judge or Juan Soto to 1B?
That’s a consideration in terms of how the Yankees approach their hole at first this winter. Anthony Rizzo is headed back to free agency, and it is likely that the Yankees will add a stopgap option for a couple of years to replace him. If the Yankees keep Soto in free agency, they could eventually move Soto to first.
But the team’s plan, according to SNY team insider Andy Martino, is to get Judge to first in the coming seasons.
“One of the reasons that it makes sense for the Yankees to sign a veteran first baseman on a relatively short-term deal is that the organization has long considered, but back-burnered, the concept that first base is Judge’s ultimate destination as he gets deeper into his 30s,” Martino wrote last week.
“In a sense, that is a shame, because he is an elite right fielder with a plus arm. Juan Soto is not an elite right fielder, but he forces Judge out of position in center if he re-signs. Scouts hold varied opinions on whether Soto could play a decent first base, and Judge’s superior athleticism, footwork and height suggest he would be the better option at first.”
Yankees Top Prospects are Outfielders
The Yankees do have two top outfield prospects to consider, too, in Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones. They’re the top two young players in the organization, and if the plan is to get both to New York in the next year or so, the Yankees would need to figure out where to put either Judge or Soto.
Neither wants to be a designated hitter. That means first base would be the sole option.
If the Yankees do keep Soto, they will likely only want to commit to a first baseman for a year, whether that is bringing back Anthony Rizzo or adding another short-term veteran. That would give them some flexibility to move Judge or Soto to the infield sooner rather than later.
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