All About Aaron Judge's Parents, Patty and Wayne Judge

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo: Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos

WhenAaron Judgemade baseball history in 2022, two very important people were in the stands cheering him on: his parents, Patty and Wayne Judge.

The proud parents have become a staple at Aaron’s baseball games, and continued to support their son as the New York Yankees competed for a spot in the 2022 World Series. (Although the team ultimately lost to the Houston Astros during the American League Championship.)

Patty and Wayne first met as students at Fresno State University — where Aaron would later play baseball himself — and wed in 1975. They eventually adopted two sons: John Jacob in 1985 and Aaron in 1992.

During an interview withHERLIFEmagazine, Patty said that raising her family has been her proudest accomplishment. “My greatest accomplishment and achievement in life has been the love and development of our family,” she shared. “Each of our boys has taken unique paths to make an impact in the world. We are proud of their accomplishments and their efforts to make the world a better place.”

Here is everything to know about Aaron Judge’s parents, Patty and Wayne Judge.

They adopted Aaron two days after he was born

Aaron Judge Instagram

Wayne and Patty met Aaron when he was only 2 days old. As Aaron told theNew York Postin 2015, that’s the day that his parents held him for the first time. “I feel they kind of picked me. I feel that God was the one that matched us together,” he said.

Patty, however, disagrees completely. As she told the outlet, it’s the other way around. “We’re more blessed than he is,” she said.

They explained Aaron’s adoption when he was 10 years old

Aaron was around 10 years old when he began to notice physical differences between himself and his parents. He told theNew York Postin 2015, “I was about 10 or 11 and we really didn’t look alike, so I started asking questions and they told me I was adopted and answered all my questions, and that was that. I was fine with it. It really didn’t bother me because that’s the only parents I’ve known.”

He reiterated that sentiment in 2017 when speaking toMLB.com, saying, “They just kind of told me I was adopted. I was like, ‘OK, that’s fine with me.’ You’re still my mom, the only mom I know. You’re still my dad, the only dad I know.”

They were focused on his character development and education

When Aaron was a kid, Wayne and Patty wanted their son to focus on one thing: being a good person. Wayne toldRecordnetin July 2010 that even though it was clear Aaron was extremely athletic, they had other goals for him as parents. “His mother and I just wanted him to be a really good person. But we knew from a very young age, as soon as we put a ball in his hand, that he had a lot of natural talent,” Wayne shared.

Aaron carried those lessons into his teen years when he and his basketball team would spend their weekends volunteering and picking up trash. As he explained, “That was one of my favorite things to do. We all got up real early, had breakfast and walked around the community picking up garbage. We had a lot of fun. It was a good bonding experience.”

He also toldMLB.comthat Wayne and Patty wanted him to put his “education first and make sure I prioritized everything. If I was going to make plans, stick to them. Make sure I’m on a tight schedule and make sure I don’t miss anything.”

Patty is the reason Aaron is a Yankee

New York Yankees/Getty

When it comes to crediting his success in baseball, Aaron points to one source of inspiration and motivation: his mother. In a 2017 interview withMLB.com, Aaron insisted that none of his feats would exist today without her.

“I know I wouldn’t be a New York Yankee if it wasn’t for my mom. The guidance she gave me as a kid growing up, knowing the difference from right and wrong, how to treat people and how to go the extra mile and put in extra work, all that kind of stuff. She’s molded me into the person that I am today,” the outfielder said.

Fittingly, Patty was there whenAaron re-signed with the Yankeesin December 2022. The athlete posted pictures from the day on Instagram, including a group shot with his parents and wife.

“Today was a dream. I am honored and privileged to represent the Yankees and the city of New York for the rest of my career. Thank you to the Steinbrenner family, my teammates, my family, and most importantly, to the greatest fans in the world,” he wrote in the caption.

Wayne is Aaron’s hero

Aaron also has plenty of praise for his father Wayne. In July 2022, Aaron told PEOPLE that his fatherhas been there for himevery step of the way. “He’s always been my hero, always a guy I looked up to,” he shared.

The Yankee also spoke about playing catch with his dad outside. “Looking back on those childhood memories, I could tell he didn’t want to do it. I could tell he was tired. He’d had a long day of work. But he never said no. He never complained, nothing. So for me, that’s why he’s still the hero in my eyes.”

They witnessed Aaron’s 61st home run

Aaron made history when he hit his 61st home run in September 2022, and Patty and Wayne were right there in the stands to see him do it. Aaron gave Patty the ball that broke Babe Ruth’s home run record andexplained after the game, “Getting to share this moment with my mom … it means a lot …”

Patty runs the ALL RISE Foundation with Aaron

According toHERLIFEmagazine, Aaron founded the Aaron Judge ALL RISE Foundation (AJARF) in 2017 and appointed his mom as its executive director. Since then, the two have organized annual camps and programs for children, leadership conferences and an All-Star Evening Gala. The foundation also offers a mini-grant program to community-based organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club, the Greater Stockton Yosemite Boy Scouts of America and Valley Children’s Healthcare, among others.

Aaron told the outlet that the values his mother instilled in him are evident in everything their foundation does. “I know I wouldn’t be a professional athlete without my mom,” he said. “The guidance she gave me as a kid growing up, knowing the difference between right and wrong, how to treat people, how to go the extra mile and put in the extra work—all those values are the values we want to instill in the lives of each young person we work with through the ALL RISE Foundation. If we can do that, we are living our mission.”

They were honored at the Little League Classic in August 2024

Before a Little League World Series game in August 2024, Patty and Wayne were celebrated in a ceremony that took place on the field in Williamsport, Pa. During the special event, Patty told a story about a time when a young Aaron ran away from her when they were at a Little League game his older brother was playing in.

“We were there to have such a grand time, and if it wasn’t for Little League parents like you, I would not have found Aaron,” Patty told the crowd, viaMLB. “He just ran through the field, saw some friends and in two seconds he was gone. But Little League saved him, and I really want to thank all of you for representing your children in Little League."

source: people.com