There comes a rookie like Aaron Judge but once in a lifetime. Looking back on 2017 it’s clear just how extraordinary this young star’s first season truly was: 52 home runs which was three better than Mark McGwire’s record, his 33 home runs hit at Yankee Stadium was one better than Babe Ruth’s record. Pitchers were so feared by his power that he was issued more walks than any other rookie in history. Judge was named the AL’s Rookie of the Month for April, May, June and September and the AL’s Player of the Month for June and September. It was to no one’s surprise that he as unanimously selected as the American League’s Rookie of the Year.

If one was looking for a game used bat to represent the 2017 season, you would be hard pressed to find one more appropriate than this one, for it was used by Aaron Judge to hit two home runs during his history-making rookie year. Photo matched to a pair of homers Judge hit on July 4th and 5th, this bat represents home run numbers 28 and 29 of Aaron Judge’s march to the new rookie season record. The first home run hit by this bat came on July 4th and was a fourth inning shot hit off Toronto’s J.A. Happ. The blast that traveled 456 ft. and dented the Frank’s Hot Dog Sign in center field. The second home run Judge hit with this bat followed the next afternoon, also in the fourth inning, off Blue Jays starter Marco Estrada. The two-run shot to deep right-center was Judge’s 29th of the year, tying the previous rookie home run record set by another Yankee slugger 81 years earlier - Joe DiMaggio. Unlike other modern-day players, Aaron Judge has made a conscious decision to hold on to his milestone game used bats such as the one used to break DiMaggio’s record, his 50th, etc., so this record tying example is the closest a collector can come to a historically significant Judge gamer.

The Chandler AJ99.2 model bat shows tremendous game use with a professionally repaired handle crack. The barrel contains many ball marks and white leather ball scuffs, two of which are from home runs 28 and 29. The lower handle has a moderate coat of pine tar and there are several cleat marks visible on the barrel – a true gamer that looks every inch like the bat used to tie an 81-year-old MLB record. Judge has signed the barrel in silver pen adding “2017 Game Used Rookie HR Record RoY.” A historically important bat illustrating the passing of the torch from one Yankees rookie phenom to another. The bat comes with a LOA from PSA/DNA (1B15662), who have graded this bat a near-perfect GU 9.5 and have photo matched this bat. There is also a MLB Authenticated hologram (JC357297) for the game use and a LOA from Anderson Authentics (2894) for the signature.

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