Derek Jeter
Jeter batting for the Yankees against the Orioles in 2008.
New York Yankees – No. 2
Shortstop
Born: (1974-06-26) June 26, 1974 (age 38) Pequannock Township, New Jersey
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
MLB debut
May 29, 1995 for the New York Yankees
Career statistics (through May 27, 2012)
Batting average	.313
On-base percentage	.383
Hits	3,155
Runs	1,795
Home runs	245
Runs batted in	1,214
Teams
New York Yankees (1995–present)
Career highlights and awards
12× All-Star (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011) 5× World Series champion (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2009) 5× Gold Glove Award (2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010) 4× Silver Slugger Award (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009) 2× AL Hank Aaron Award (2006, 2009) AL Rookie of the Year Award (1996) All-Star Game MVP Award (2000) World Series MVP Award (2000) Roberto Clemente Award (2000) New York Yankees team captain (2003–present) New York Yankees career hits record New York Yankees career stolen bases record

Derek Sanderson Jeter ( /Ë�dĘ’iË�tÉ™r/; born June 26, 1974) is an American baseball shortstop who has played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees. A five-time World Series champion, Jeter has been a central figure of the Yankees during their success of the 1990s and 2000s due to his clubhouse presence, on-field leadership, hitting ability, and baserunning.^[1] He is the Yankees' all-time career leader in hits (3,155), games played (2,472), stolen bases (342), and at bats (10,066). His accolades include twelve All-Star selections, five Gold Glove Awards, four Silver Slugger Awards, two Hank Aaron Awards, and the Roberto Clemente Award. Jeter is the all-time MLB leader in hits by a shortstop,^[1][2] and the 28th player to reach 3,000 hits.

The Yankees drafted Jeter out of high school in 1992, and he debuted in the major leagues in 1995. The following year, he became the Yankees' starting shortstop, won the Rookie of the Year Award, and helped the team win the 1996 World Series. Jeter continued to contribute during the team's championship seasons of 1998–2000; he finished third in voting for the American League (AL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award in 1998, recorded multiple career-high numbers in 1999, and won both the All-Star Game MVP and World Series MVP Awards in 2000. He has consistently placed among the AL leaders in hits and runs scored for the past ten years, and since 2003 has served as the Yankees' team captain.^[3]

Throughout his career, Jeter has contributed reliably to the Yankees' franchise successes in the postseason. He holds many postseason records, and has a .351 batting average in the World Series. Jeter has earned the titles of "Captain Clutch" and "Mr. November" due to his postseason heroics.^[4][5]

Jeter has been one of the most heavily marketed athletes of his generation and is involved in several product endorsements. His personal life and relationships with celebrities have drawn the attention of the media throughout his career. Teammates and opponents alike regard Jeter as a consummate professional and one of the best players of his generation.^[6][7] Sportswriters anticipate that Jeter will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame following his playing career.^[8][9]

Early life[link]

Jeter was born in Pequannock, New Jersey on June 26, 1974. His father, Sanderson Charles Jeter, Ph.D., a substance abuse counselor, is African American; his mother, Dorothy, an accountant, is Caucasian and of Irish/German descent.^[10] They met while serving in the United States Army in Germany.^[11] As a child, Jeter's parents made him sign a contract every year that set acceptable and unacceptable forms of behavior.^[12] Dorothy instilled a positive attitude in her son, insisting that he not use the word "can't".^[13] Jeter's sister Sharlee, who is five years younger, was a softball star in high school,^[11] while his father played baseball at Fisk University in Tennessee at the shortstop position.^[14]

Jeter with his boyhood idol Dave Winfield at Dodger Stadium, June 2010.

The Jeters lived in North Arlington, New Jersey until Derek was four years old, at which point they moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan.^[1] Derek and Sharlee lived in Kalamazoo with their parents during the school year and spent their summers with their grandparents in New Jersey. Attending New York Yankees games with his grandparents, Jeter became a passionate fan of the team.^[1][14] Watching Yankees player Dave Winfield inspired him to pursue baseball.^[15]

High school[link]

Jeter attended Kalamazoo Central High School, where he played baseball and basketball. In his sophomore year at Kalamazoo Central, Jeter batted .557, followed by a .508 average in his junior year.^[1] In his senior year, he batted .508 and compiled 23 runs batted in (RBI), 21 walks, four home runs, a .637 on-base percentage (OBP), a .831 slugging percentage (SLG), 12 stolen bases (in 12 attempts), and just one strikeout.^[1]

Jeter received several honors after his senior season. These included an All-State honorable mention, distinguishing him as one of the best high school baseball players in Michigan, the Kalamazoo Area B'nai B'rith Award for Scholar Athlete, the 1992 High School Player of the Year Award from the American Baseball Coaches Association, the 1992 Gatorade High School Player of the Year award, and USA Today's High School Player of the Year.^[1][2] Kalamazoo Central High School inducted Jeter into its Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003^[16] and renamed its baseball field in his honor in 2011.^[17] Jeter's baseball talents drew the attention of the University of Michigan, which offered him a baseball scholarship to attend and play college baseball for the Michigan Wolverines baseball team.^[18]

Professional career[link]

Draft[link]

As a scout for the Houston Astros, Hal Newhouser evaluated Jeter extensively prior to the 1992 MLB Draft. The Astros held the first overall pick in the draft, and Newhouser, convinced that Jeter would anchor a winning team, lobbied team management to select Jeter.^[18] However, the Astros feared that Jeter would insist on a salary bonus of at least $1 million to forgo his college scholarship for a professional contract.^[18] Consequently, the Astros passed on him in the draft, instead choosing Cal-State Fullerton outfielder Phil Nevin, who signed with Houston for $700,000.^[18] Newhouser felt so strongly about Jeter's potential that he quit his job with Astros in protest after they ignored his drafting advice.^[19]