The mania surrounding Home Run Derby champ Aaron Judge appears to have reached a new high. ESPN’s Darren Rovell reports that Judge’s game-worn MLB debut jersey sold for $157,366 on Sunday, eclipsing the price of any other game-worn jersey since 2002. That record doesn’t just encompass all MLB jerseys, but those across every professional sport in the U.S., including one of Steph Curry’s jerseys from the 2017 NBA Finals.
There’s no telling how long Judge will continue to mash home runs and obliterate single-season records, and while his league-best 33 homers and dazzling .305/.428/.638 batting line have turned heads, there’s a chance he’s due for a sophomore slump next year. That uncertainty, coupled with the rookie’s undeniable popularity, has continued to drive up the price for jerseys, rookie cards, bats -- anything anyone can get their hands on. In addition to Judge’s MLB debut jersey, which went to merchandiser Steiner Sports, Rovell lists several other pieces of memorabilia that could fetch a hefty price:
Of course, the opposite could be true. Should Judge continue to flourish with the Yankees, these will all look like bargain-bin prices by the end of what very well might be a long and illustrious career.
Update: The total price of Judge’s debut jersey reached $160,644.05 with commission.
