Former multi-sport Linden High standout Aaron Judge generated huge headlines in New York when he homered in his first two games at Yankee Stadium after being called up from the minor leagues. He also homered in his first-ever major league at-bat. Here’s a list of everyone from a California high school who has accomplished this feat in the last 30 years.
With a start like he’s had, it’s a good bet that Linden High grad Aaron Judge has a good chance to have a more than solid career in Major League Baseball.
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Judge, who played football, basketball and baseball when he was at Linden (located near Stockton) and then became a baseball slugger at Fresno State, launched a 450-foot homer in his first at-bat last Saturday when the New York Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays 8-4. Judge was playing previously for the Yankees’ AAA team in Scranton/Wilkes Barre (Pa.) and got the call several hours after Alex Rodriguez played his final game.
Judge’s homer also was historic because it came right after teammate Tyler Austin hit a home run in his very first at-bat in the big league. Austin is from a high school in Georgia.
Here are the most recent players from California high school to have hit homers in their first MLB at-bat (all since 1986):
Brett Pill (Covina)
Former Giant and son of state record holder Mike Pill (West Covina Edgewood) hit a homer for Giants in 2011.
Tommy Milone (Saugus)
Yes, this is the same Milone who’s a pitcher. He homered in first at-bat for Washington Nationals in 2011.
Daniel Nava (St. Francis, Mountain View)
He’s been in the World Series for both the Red Sox and Cardinals and homered in first at-bat in 2010 for Red Sox.
Charlton Jimerson (Mt. Eden, Hayward)
His homer in his first at-bat came in 2006 for the Houston Astros.
Mike Jacobs (Hilltop, Chula Vista)
He blasted a three-run pinch-hit homer in his first MLB at-bat in 2005 as a member of the New York Yankees.
Greg Dobbs (Canyon Springs, Moreno Valley)
The Seattle Mariners were the team that called up Dobbs for his MLB first at-bat home run debut in 2004.
Dave Matranga (Orange)
He only played about two seasons, but had a memorable first at-bat with his homer in 2003 for the Houston Astros against the Texas Rangers.
Keith McDonald (Esperanza, Anaheim)
Good to see an Aztec on this list since there’s been so many of them to make it to the majors. McDonald homered in first at-bat for St. Louis in 2000.
Brad Fullmer (Montclair Prep, Van Nuys)
He ripped a home run in his first MLB at-bat in 1997 as a member of the Montreal Expos, which are now the Washingtion Nationals.
Jermaine Dye (Will C. Wood, Vacaville)
He went on to be World Series MVP in 2005 with the Chicago White Sox. His big homer came in 1996 for the Atlanta Braves.
Ricky Jordan (Grant, Sacramento)
There was a big gap between Jordan and Dye accomplishing this feat – eight years to be exact. Jordan did it 1988 for the Philadelphia Phillies. He actually played baseball at Grant for current Grant football coach Mike Alberghini.
Mark Tennis is the co-founder and publisher of CalHiSports.com. He can be reached at markjtennis@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow Mark on the Cal-Hi Sports Twitter handle: @CalHiSports
