Bobby Witt Jr. draws comparison to Aaron Judge as ex-MLB slugger hails Royals star as player to build a franchise around

Aaron Judge and Bobby Witt Jr. led the MLB in fWAR last year, being the only two players to exceed double digits. In MLB Network's top 100 countdown, they placed second and third, respectively. They are two of the brightest stars in baseball.

They're also both franchise players on long-term, lucrative deals, albeit at very different stages of their careers. Judge is 32 right now and has much more mileage than the 24-year-old Witt Jr.

Rex Hudler, a former utility player and now a color commentator for the Kansas City Royals, praised Witt by comparing him to Judge:

"The greatest thing about this kid is his upbringing. ... He's continuing to become an icon in Kansas City. ... His personality, he and Aaron Judge, the second and third best players, they're all No. 1 because of their attitudes.

"The way they treat people, the way they smile. They're humble! ... They're guys that you want on your ballclub. You build a franchise around them!"

Hudler was effusive in his praise of Witt, comparing him to a two-time MVP who has been the face of the New York Yankees, perhaps the biggest franchise in sports, for almost a decade. He also went so far as to say that Witt will be part of championship Royals teams someday soon.

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Aaron Judge isn't changing after major policy shift

Despite the New York Yankees changing a major policy they've had, Aaron Judge isn't changing. He has adhered to the Yankees' hair policy for the better part of a decade at the MLB level, and he's not changing now.

Aaron Judge isn't changing (Imagn)

He revealed his reasoning, via the New York Post:

“I got drafted by this organization, so the very first day I was here, I’ve been shaving since 2013. This is what I know, this is what I’m used to. I look around the building, look at old photos of the past legends and people that played here, they all followed that rule, so I just tried to follow on their path."

Judge also said he didn't think it was a big deal, but he acknowledged that it should help some players come to the Yankees who might not have and that can lead to a better team. That's something Judge is all the way on board with.