MLB: Presenting active Yankees captains who were crowned AL MVP
Captains are symbols of leadership and excellence, but only a select few have achieved the ultimate individual honor of being crowned MVP while serving as an MLB team captain. With Aaron Judge winning the MVP award this season, he became the third active Yankees captain to win the honor. In this article, we spotlight these remarkable players who've achieved this incredible feat.
Loui Gehrig: 1935-1939, MVP award winner in 1936
Gehrig was the first active Yankees captain to win the MVP award in 1936. Gehrig served as the Yankees' captain from 1935-1939. Gehrig put up an extraordinary performance, batting .354 with 49 homers and 152 RBIs, posting a .696 slugging across 155 games. In six playoff games, he contributed a .292 average, two homers, and seven RBIs, proving instrumental in the Yankees' postseason success.
Thurman Munson: 1976-79, MVP award winner in 1976
In 1976, Yankees captain Munson batted .302 with 17 home runs and 105 RBIs, earning AL MVP honors and leading the team to its first World Series since 1964. He hit .435 in the ALCS and .529 in the World Series. Despite New York's sweep by the Reds, Munson tied a World Series record with six consecutive hits, including going 4-for-4 in Game 4.
Aaron Judge: 2023-present, MVP award winner in 2024
Judge's 2024 season was a career highlight. He played 158 games, hitting a personal-best .322 average, with 58 homers, 144 RBIs, and a 1.159 OPS. His performance earned him a second career MVP, making him the third active Yankees captain to achieve this honor. Though he batted .184 with three homers and nine RBIs (14 playoff games), Judge's regular season dominance defined the year.
