Fan turned down massive offer for Aaron Judge HR ball

Jul 15, 2019; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) goes to the dugout between innings against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

The fan who caught Aaron Judge’s 62nd home run ball turned down quite the sum for it, but is still in line for a big payday.

35-year-old Cory Youmans of Dallas told Jeff Passan of ESPN that he turned down an offer of $3 million for the baseball, and plans to auction off the baseball instead.

“We’ve already had an offer for $3 million,” Dave Baron, Youmans’ attorney, told Passan. “Talking to the auction people, they don’t really commit to a number, but they said it just could be significantly higher based on New York, the New York fan base and how crazy it could get at an auction.”

Youmans said he wants to travel the world with his wife, sports reporter Bri Amaranthus, and build a classic car workshop for his grandfather. He would also like to make sure some of the money raised from the auction is donated to Judge’s All Rise Foundation, which benefits children. Ideally, he added, the ball would end up back with Judge, the Yankees, or the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Some Yankees fans gave a ball of less significance back to Judge. But this is the big keepsake, and Youmans is deciding to cash in.