Yankees name Judge 16th captain in franchise history

At long last, the New York Yankees have their official successor to Hall of Famer Derek Jeter.

The Yankees named reigning American League MVP Aaron Judge the club's 16th captain Wednesday. Judge will take the mantle that's been left vacant since Jeter retired at the conclusion of the 2014 season.

New York named Judge captain during the press conference announcing his return to the Yankees on a nine-year contract reportedly worth $360 million.

"He's a great Yankee on the field, off the field. Leadership off the charts," owner Hal Steinbrenner said, according to The Associated Press.

The 30-year-old Judge said he's relishing the opportunity to lead the storied franchise.

"This is an incredible honor that I don't take lightly," he said, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.

With his contractual status resolved, Judge is turning his focus to helping the Yankees win a championship for the first time since 2009.

"There's a lot of unfinished business here," he said, according to Hoch. "I'm looking forward to finishing that business."

Judge enjoyed a tremendous offensive season in 2022. The slugger set a new American League record with 62 home runs and led the Junior Circuit in RBIs (131) and OPS (1.111).