NEW YORK -- While rising through the Yankees' farm system, Aaron Judge logged nearly 500 at-bats for Class A Advanced Tampa and Double-A Trenton, which makes P.J. Pilittere something of an expert in breaking down the American League Rookie of the Year's swing.
Having been promoted to the Major League staff as an assistant to hitting coach Marcus Thames, the 36-year-old Pilittere said that though few could have predicted Judge's 52-homer performance, the coaches in the organization knew that the 6-foot-7 slugger was capable of special accomplishments.
"The things that I believed would come to fruition were the leadership qualities, the humility, the competitiveness that everybody sees behind the homers, awards and accolades," Pilittere said.