“Aaron Judge’s size was the first thing that stands out” - When Derek Jeter opened up about meeting Yankees skipper

Aaron Judge's performances for the New York Yankees have made him one of the best players to play for the franchise. However, Judge's success shouldn't be surprising, as it seems he was destined for success. At least that's what one would feel if they read what Derek Jeter had to say after his first meeting with Judge.

Jeter, who played for the Yankees for nearly 20 years, first met Judge at the Yankees' "Captain's Camp.' He shared dinner with Judge and a group of other prospects in Tampa, Florida. At the time, the current Yankees captain was playing in the minor leagues.

After Judge was named the New York Yankees captain in 2022, Jeter recalled his first impression when he met him at the "Captain's Camp."

“His size was the first thing that stands out, because you don’t see too many baseball players that size,” Jeter said in Dec. 2022. “Everyone at the camp was kind of quiet; they don’t say too much. But you could tell he was respectful. You can tell if people are paying attention."

"You could tell that he was listening, and I take all responsibility now for him being captain,” Jeter added.

An interaction between Judge & Jeter last month:

In the 2025 season, Judge is proving himself to be an instrumental player for the Yankees. As of now, in 323 at-bats, he has an average of .365 along with 32 home runs, making him a favorite to win the MVP award.

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Aaron Judge once shut down comparisons with Yankees legend Derek Jeter

Aaron Judge's breakout season with the Yankees in 2017 led to him winning the AL Rookie of the Year award. While MLB teams and fans got a glimpse of what Judge would go on to become, ex-Yankees manager Joe Girardi compared a young Judge to Yankees legend Derek Jeter.

Girardi pointed out aspects that made him feel Judge was similar to Jeter. However, Judge was quick to downplay these comparisons. At that time, the current Yankees captain famously said:

"There's only one Derek Jeter."

Judge added:

“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."

While Judge showed humility in downplaying his comparison to Derek Jeter, it would be safe to say that the former, like Jeter, has cemented his place as a Yankees legend. The fact that Judge became the first Yankees captain since Jeter is proof of the same.