Top 5 New York Yankees hitters of the past decade
Love 'em or hate 'em, the New York Yankees are the most recognizable franchise in all of baseball. You can put on a Yankee cap almost anywhere in the world, and in an instant, people recognize the insignia on that hat.
The Bronx Bombers have produced a virtual Who's Who of Hall of Famers, especially hitters. From The Great Bambino Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig to Captain Clutch Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, there have been many phenomenal Yankees sluggers.
New York Yankees Top 5 hitters of the past decade
Putting on the trademark pinstrips is a tall order. Many have faltered, but some —the special ones — have delivered. We'll list the top five best New York Yankees hitters of the past ten years. Statistics count only from 2012 until 2021, and the players must have played for the team for more than three seasons in that time frame.
#5 Mark Teixeira
Mark Teixeira, the switch hitter hailing from Annapolis, Maryland, has built up a resume that will one day get him into the Hall of Fame. Originally signed by the Yankees in 2009, Tex won a World Series title in his first season with the Bombers. He would have ranked higher if we included his first few seasons with the Yankees. From 2012 until his farewell season in 2016, he had a slash line of .229/.322/.442 with 95 homers and 281 RBIs.
#4 Alex Rodriguez
Okay, hold on to your pitchforks. If this was a list of the top five most polarizing figures in the MLB, Alex Rodriguez would've topped the list. But alas, it isn't. Bringing A-Rod up in any baseball conversation is sure to draw either praise or flak. The man's resume is Hall of Fame-worthy, but, of course, many people would argue the validity of some of those numbers due to the issues he was involved in. He has a career stat line of more than 3,000 hits and almost 700 home runs.
He ranks fourth in this one because, in the short time he had from 2012 to 2016 he faced suspensions and controversy that brought his numbers into question. He still managed a .249/.338/.438 slash line with 67 home runs and 193 RBIs. That's not bad if you consider he only had 382 games to accomplish those stats.
#3 Didi Gregorius
Mariekson Julius "Didi" Gregorius played for the New York Yankees from 2015 to 2019. The Dutchman was brought in to replace the iconic Derek Jeter at shortstop. A beloved figure in the eyes of the Yankee faithful, he batted .269/.313/.446 with 97 homers and 360 RBIs in 660 games across five seasons for the Bombers. A reliable player, he was included in the American League MVP ballots for the years 2017 and 2018. His performance was not too shabby for a player tasked with taking up the mantle of the greatest Yankees player of the 21st century.
#2 Brett Gardner
The last remaining member of the 2009 World Series-winning team before eventually departing at the end of the 2021 season, Brett Gardner was a rare one-club man. He was a staple in the Yankee dugout for more than a decade and showed pride and passion when he wore the pinstripes. Since 2012, Gardner batted .254/.338/.408 with 124 homers, 456 RBIs, and 139 stolen bases. For his longevity and consistency in the New York Yankees lineup, he gets the runner-up nod on this list.
"Gardy's been an amazing Yankee"
Aaron Boone reflects on the first Yankees Opening Day without Brett Gardner since 2008 https://t.co/tuNYO6KXMc
"Gardy's been an amazing Yankee" - Aaron Boone via @ Yankees Videos
#1 Aaron Judge
The face of the new generation of New York Yankees baseball, the 6-foot-7, 280-pound slugger from Linden, California, Aaron Judge has proven that he's MVP-caliber material for years now. Since 2016, judge has recorded a .276/.386/.554 slash line with 158 homers and 366 RBIs across 572 games for the Bombers.
Aaron Judge gets a huge ovation from Yankees fans https://t.co/6gUVqm8hJD
"Aaron Judge gets a huge ovation from Yankees fans" - @ Talkin' Yanks
Judge has so far been hampered by injuries in his time in the Bronx, but when he's healthy, he has shown that he is an MVP-level player. During his scintillating rookie year performance, he blasted 52 homers and 114 RBIs on his way to the American League Rookie of the Year award and second place finish in the AL MVP voting. If he can stay healthy and produce at the level that he is currently doing, he can one day belong to the list of the greatest Yankees hitters of all time.