Former Yankees hitting coach dishes on Aaron Judge’s success, future
It has been an offseason of questions regarding Aaron Judge. Now that he has signed his massive contract with the New York Yankees, the questions now turn to how Judge could possibly top or even come close to mirroring his MVP season in the Bronx in 2022.
One person who has some insight on that pursuit of greatness is Hensley Meulens, who served as an assistant hitting coach with the Yankees in 2022 before taking a job this offseason as the hitting coach with the Colorado Rockies. Meulens, who earned three World Series titles during a decade as a bench coach and hitting coach for the San Francisco Giants, will also manager The Netherlands during the upcoming World Baseball Classic.
What helped New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge set records and earn MVP in 2022
During the recent MLB Winter Meetings in San Diego, Meulens was asked what exactly made Judge so good in 2022. Last season, Judge slashed .311/.425/.686 and led MLB in home runs (62), RBI (131), and OPS+ (211), among other categories.
“One, I think was his health. He was healthy all year and that was managed that really well,” Meulens said. “Two, I think he had a better understanding of how to prepare for the adjustments all of the pitchers were making. Pitching is tougher right now, and we all know that.
“He had a plan, and having the right plan means everything.”
Meulens added that Judge was “very religious” preparing for every game and “you could see the results.”
And what about those final few days of the regular season as Judge looked to break the American League home run record held by former Yankees outfielder Roger Maris? Meulens described the home stretch of the regular season and Judge’s chase as “nerve-wracking” for the 30-year-old outfielder.
“I don’t know if he was relaxed. I think it was nerve-wracking, especially in the last two weeks with everyone traveling with him,” Meulens said. “Everyone was standing up in the stadiums and the stadium was totally quiet (when Judge came to bat). There was one catcher who said that was the only time he heard the bat actually going through the zone because it was so quiet.”
Looking ahead, Meulens is confident that Judge can maintain his high level of production at the plate, even with the pressure of a nine-year, $360 million deal looming over him.
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“I think he’s in a good spot. Staying healthy is the number one thing for him,” Meulens said. “If he can stay on the field, he can do anything he wants. In my opinion, he’s the best player in baseball, and it’s not just hitting. He plays defense and steals bases. He did everything you could ask of an MVP.”