Top 10 MLB breakout candidates in 2017

9. Aaron Judge

NBA-sized hitters have been exceedingly rare in MLB history. Only Richie Sexson stood taller than 6’7″ Aaron Judge. The mechanics of a proper swing and the ability to cover the entire strike zone make it difficult for players this tall to master the art of hitting in the big leagues. Judge made his debut last season with the New York Yankees, and struggled in 27 games.

With the big club last year, Judge batted just .179/.263/.345 with 42 strikeouts in 84 at-bats. Easy math would lead to the conclusion that he struck out in exactly half of his at-bats. Judge was completely lost at the plate against big-league breaking balls. At 24, and with little left to prove at Triple-A, Judge will be given a long leash this year as the Yankees continue rebuilding.

Judge worked hard to revamp his swing over the offseason, and the result is a much quieter swing with fewer moving parts. These changes have the Yankees excited that he can take the next step towards becoming a contributing big leaguer. It’s unlikely that Judge will ever bat much higher than .260 in the major leagues. That being said, Sexson was a career .261 hitter with 306 home runs over 12 years. If Judge blossoms into that type of player, paired with Gary Sanchez, the Yankees will be in business.