"I used to get fined in college when I said that" - Aaron Judge shares how early lessons learned at Fresno State continue to guide his MLB career 

New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge leads by example both on and off the field in the MLB. The 32-year-old righty slugger believes in the collective responsibility of the team for success, rather than individual accomplishments.

In an interview, Judge was asked:

"You really don't like to use the word 'I or me', do you very much?"

To which Aaron Judge replied:

"I used to get fined in college when I said that. It kind of got, ingrained in us [Bulldogs teammates]."

The interviewer replied:

"What a great idea."

And Judge replied by saying:

"It was wonderful, you don't have too much cash in college."

Take a look at the short snippet of the interview here:

Aaron Judge was made captain of the Bronx Bombers in the offseason of 2022 after he signed a nine-year contract extension worth $360 million to stay in the Bronx. The position of captain on the Yankees roster had been vacant since Derek Jeter last held it in 2003 until his retirement in 2014.

The organization saw some leadership qualities in Judge, which is why they decided to bestow the title and the responsibilities on him. The short anecdote shared above showcases how Aaron Judge is a team man rather than running after individual glory.

The Yankees selected Judge with the No. 32 overall pick in the 2013 MLB draft. He made his big league debut in 2016, and since then, there has been no stopping the big man, who has grown in stature exponentially both on and off the diamond. He had a slow start to his 2024 campaign but is now producing some searing offensive numbers with each passing gameday.

Yankees captain Aaron Judge leads offensive stat line in 2024 MLB season

Aaron Judge hit an offensive slump early on in the season, but his production in May, which has continued even now, is simply staggering.

The New York Yankees couldn't have asked for more from their star slugger, as he hit with an average of .305, with a league-leading 24 home runs, 59 RBIs, and 1.139 OPS.

This stat line is reminiscent of his record-breaking 2022 MLB season, and the Bronx Bombers (46-21) will be hopeful that their captain can continue this red-hot form as they chase after an elusive AL pennant title and the World Series.