"There’s only one Derek Jeter" - When Aaron Judge shut down comparisons with ex-Yankees legend and focused on his own legacy

Unsurprisingly, Aaron Judge has become the face of this era of New York Yankees baseball. The hulking outfielder has taken over the mantle of the iconic club's clear leader and biggest name among the team's dedicated fans. After winning a pair of American League MVP Awards, it's clear why he is among the most popular players in baseball.

That being said, Aaron Judge received heaps of praise almost immediately after making his MLB debut. While he got a taste of big league action in 2016, 2017 was his true breakout season, hitting a whopping 52 home runs en route to the AL Rookie of the Year Award. It was early that season that the Yankees' then-manager Joe Girardi made comparisons between Judge and one of the club's icons.

"You know, he’s a little bit like Derek to me. (Judge) has got a smile all the time. He loves to play the game. You always think that he’s gonna do the right thing on the field and off the field... I understand that’s a big comparison, but I remember Derek when he was young. He grew into that leadership role," Girardi said of Judge and Jeter during the 2017 season.

Derek Jeter is one of the most popular players not only in New York Yankees history, but the entire league. The talented shortstop was a first-ballot Hall of Famer, a 14-time All-Star, and a 5-time World Series champion. It's safe to say that he enjoyed a tremendous career with the Yankees.

This is why Aaron Judge pushed back on the comparisons to Jeter based on the star's impact on the club's history. In a 2017 article by the New York Daily News, Judge accepted the compliment but honored the club icon by saying that he is a unicorn talent for the Yankees.

“There’s only one Derek Jeter. It’s a great compliment. Honored to be in the same sentence, but I’m just trying to go out there and be the best Aaron Judge I can be," Judge said of the Jeter comps.

If Aaron Judge is going to cement himself a legacy alongside Derek Jeter, the Yankees superstar will need to help the club win a World Series title if he wants to become an all-time great for the team.

Aaron Judge became the first New York Yankees captain since Derek Jeter

Even though Aaron Judge is attempting to write his own story with the Yankees, the slugger has been tied to Derek Jeter in more ways than one. In 2023, Judge became the first New York Yankees captain since Jeter, an honor that he wears with pride.

The Yankees' captaincy had previously been vacant since Jeter retired in 2014. After nearly a decade, Judge became the 16th captain in team history, etching his name next to other icons, including Derek Jeter, Don Mattingly, Thurman Munson, Lou Gehrig, and Babe Ruth.