Prospect Watch: Yankees’ Aaron Judge promoted to AAA

Jack Curry of YES Network reports that top Yankees prospect Aaron Judge has been promoted to AAA Scranton. Judge has spent the entire season with AA Trenton to this point.

A first-round pick by New York in 2014, Judge has hit .289 with 12 home runs, 44 RBIs, 16 doubles and 24 walks triples in 276 plate appearances with the Thunder thus far. The 23-year-old has shown the ability to adjust easily to AA action, posting nearly identical numbers as he did in the lower minors in 2014.

Should Judge continue to impress with Scranton, he will likely be the second Yankees outfield prospect to make his major-league debut with the big-league club this summer. Mason Williams, a Top-100 prospect from 2012-2014, made his debut against Baltimore on June 12, but is currently on the disabled list alongside fellow outfielders Jacoby Ellsbury and Slade Heathcott.

With so many injuries in the outfield, the Yankees could use a bat like Judge to help keep them in the race with Tampa Bay, Baltimore and Toronto all surging in recent weeks. If New York finds itself in the mix once Williams and Ellsbury return, Judge could also prove to be valuable trade bait if the Yankees decide they want to make a move.