Aaron Judge named 2018 Graduate of the Year

All rise for 2018 NBC Graduate of the Year Aaron Judge. The NBC Graduate of the Year award has been awarded to former National Baseball Congress players since 1975. Judge was born April 26, 1992 in Linden California. In 2010 Judge was selected in the 31st round of the MLB draft but instead decided to enroll at Fresno State. In the summer of 2011 Judge played for the Anchorage Glacier Pilots in the Alaska Baseball League, an affiliate of the National Baseball Congress.

Already an imposing figure even as a freshman, Judge stood at 6 foot 7 and 230 pounds, dominating in size and strength. He has been compared to Dave Winfield, another NBC Graduate of the year and fellow alumni in the Alaska Baseball League. Though Judge didn’t win the Alaska Baseball League’s home run derby that summer, he was one of 12 players who participated.

Finishing the 2011 season with .289 batting average, Judge was the league’s top prospect. “I had a lot of fun playing with the Pilots in 2011 after my freshman year of college.  I really enjoyed my time in Alaska-from the great teammates I had, to my host family-we had a lot of tun. The Pilots organization is very supportive of its players and has a great fan following. It’s an honor to be named Graduate of the Year.” Said Judge.

Just two years after competing in Alaska, Judge was the 32nd pick overall in the 2013 MLB Draft to the New York Yankees. He made his debut in 2016 the best way possible, with a home run in his first career at bat. In 2017, he recorded the fastest exit velocity of a home run, measuring 121.1 miles per hour. He also held the record for the furthest home run, one that traveled 495 feet. 

In 2017 he competed once again in a Home Run Derby, but this time in the majors. He did not fall short as he did the summer of 2011. Aaron Judge won the 2017 MLB Home Run Derby and was the first rookie to ever do so. He went on that season to be named the American League Rookie of the year while also breaking records such as: walks in a single season (127), rookie season home runs (52), and leading the American league in runs scored (128), homeruns (52), and walks (127, 11 intentional). 

The NBC has helped produce over 900 professional players and we are happy to announce Aaron Judge as our 2018 Graduate of the Year.