'''Derek Sanderson Jeter''' (born June 26, 1974) is a seven-time All-Star shortstop for the New York Yankees and is the team's captain.
He has won the American League Rookie of the Year Award, the All-Star and World Series MVP Awards, and two Gold Glove Awards. Jeter has the 6th highest lifetime batting average of all active ballplayers. He has been in the top 7 in the American League in both hits and runs scored for 8 of the past 9 years.
Early life and Minor Leagues
Derek Jeter was born in Pequannock, New Jersey, to Charles, an African-American, and Dorothy Jeter, an Irish-American. The family lived in North Arlington, New Jersey until he was four, then moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan, when he was five. Jeter was a star baseball player at Kalamazoo Central High School, where he also played basketball. Jeter batted over .500 and struck out only 4 times during his entire senior year playing baseball. In 1992, he was named High School Player of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association and won the Gatorade High School Player of the Year Award. Derek's idol was always Dave Winfield.
Although Jeter received a baseball scholarship to attend the University of Michigan, he attended just one semester after he was drafted by the New York Yankees with the 6th overall pick of the 1992 amateur draft.
Jeter spent four years in the minor leagues, beginning in the Rookie League before advancing to Class A. He spent two years there (his first year wasn't the best by the look of his stats), collecting various awards, including ''Most Outstanding Major League Prospect'' of the South Atlantic League in 1993http://espn.go.com/classic/biography/s/jeterderekadd.html and ''Best Defensive Shortstop''.
In 1994, he advanced from Class A to Class AAA within the season.
On May 29, 1995, Jeter made his debut in the Major Leagues against the Seattle Mariners.
Professional career
Jeter has been a key player in the Yankees' success since 1996. Jeter is one of four current veterans (the others are Jorge Posada, Bernie Williams, and Mariano Rivera) who came up through the Yankees organization and has played his entire professional career with the Yankees.
Jeter, Nomar Garciaparra and Alex Rodriguez were considered the three top shortstops in the game during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Jeter is the only one of the three to still be at the shortstop position.
Derek Jeter was first called up to the Major Leagues in 1995 and started 13 games before being sent back down to the minors.
