New York Yankees Aaron Aaron Judge Top Male Athlete

NEW YORK -- Aaron Judge has always stood out.

With the imposing size and muscular frame of an NFL tight end or NBA power forward, the 6-foot-7, 282-pound New York Yankees slugger towers over teammates and opponents on the diamond.

Never more so than in 2022. After hitting 62 home runs to break an American League record that lasted six decades, Judge has been voted The Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year by a panel of 40 sports writers and editors from news outlets across the country.

The outfielder edged Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani, last year's winner, in voting announced Friday. Stephen Curry of the NBA champion Golden State Warriors finished third.

Judge hit 16 more homers than any other big league player, the largest gap since Jimmie Foxx hit 58 for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1932 and Babe Ruth had 41 for the Yankees.

Just before Opening Day, Judge declined New York's offer of $213.5 million over seven years (2023-29) and bet big on himself. He became a free agent in November and cashed in, getting a $360 million, nine-year contract to re-sign with the Yankees -- the third-largest deal in baseball history.

"There's a lot of unfinished business here," he said.

Back in 2017, Judge slammed 52 homers to set a rookie record that was soon broken.

Now with the record and big contract, all eyes will be watching his encore in 2023.

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