Aaron Judge’s home run barrage has him on pace to be in elite company

If the season ended today, New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge would win the Triple Crown.

As a rookie.

With two homers on Sunday — one a highlight-reel worthy 496-foot shot — he upped his mark to 21 this season and that goes right alongside a .344 batting average and 47 RBI. Will the Triple Crown pace continue? Who knows, but the power is a barometer of baseball card potential and he’s on pace to be among the best rookies in MLB history.

He’s on pace to top the 40-homer mark and that’s been done just one other time by a rookie. Even if he struggles some, by season’s end he’s likely to be very close to — if not among — the top 10 sluggers for most home run seasons by a rookie.

Aaron Judge’s historic start sparks continuing cardboard frenzy

With 10 homers last month, New York Yankees rookie outfielder Aaron Judge tied the major-league record for newcomers — a mark set by Trevor Story of the Colorado Rockies last year.

Judge and Story are different stories when it comes to baseball cards, though, as the Yankee is readily available — and has been for years — on MLB cardboard and has plenty of autographs and Rookie Cards with more on the way. (Yes, Story also had ink and prospect cards — about 40 autos — before his arrival last season, but he wasn’t a big-market, can’t-miss guy who took his time to arrive with his presence in most prospect products before that time came. That’s Judge.)

Sure, it’s a long season, but right now Judge is a runaway to win the American League Rookie of the Year award with his homer total doubling the next-closest rookie and his 20 RBI in 22 games also leading all newcomers. He’s also hitting .303 so far, which ain’t shabby as he was a career .278 hitter in the minors. And, again, collectors (and dealers) benefit from this start as he’s got plenty of cards — new and old.