Derek Jeter once brushed with trading $800,000 Yankees offer for romantic rendezvous
When Derek Jeter was faced with the choice between an $800,000 salary from the New York Yankees and a romantic longing for the University of Michigan, his path to becoming a baseball legend almost took a different turn.
Unbeknownst to many, Jeter initially thought about turning down the Yankees' offer in order to play college baseball instead.
''The Kid wanted to go to Michigan. No one knows this, but Jeter did not want to sign. He wanted to go to Michigan with his girlfriend, and he wanted to play there. But the Yankees kept inflating,'' Michigan coach Bill Freehan's assistant, Ace Adams, said in the book, "The Captain."
The opportunity to switch pinstripes for a Michigan Wolverines jersey beckoned alluringly.
"Derek called the Michigan head coach and said, 'Mr. Freeman, what should I do?' 'You've got to sign,' Freehan finally told him. '''You're crazy if you don't.'"
Despite his longing for Michigan, Jeter listened to Freehan's advice. Just two days after turning 18 years old, on a fateful day in June 1992, he signed a contract worth $800,000 with the Yankees, which included a sizeable $700,000 bonus.
This choice launched him on the path to fame while also securing his financial future. His sixth overall draft pick outperformed his contemporaries, exceeding the top three picks and offering twice as much as the fifth pick.
Derek Jeter's exceptional MLB career
With the sixth pick in the 1992 draft, the New York Yankees selected Derek Jeter. After a few unsuccessful seasons in the minors, he was called up in May 1995.
Jeter had a difficult 1995 and was sent back to the minor leagues after just 15 games. But in 1996, everything was different. Before 2013, when he was recovering from an injury, Jeter had been named to the Yankees' opening day roster and had not appeared in a minor league game since.
In his debut season, Jeter hit.314 with 10 home runs and 78 RBIs. He helped the Yankees win the World Series and was named the American League Rookie of the Year.
In 1996, Jeter started to rule. He continued to compete until 2014 and received numerous awards throughout his career.
He was a 14-time All-Star, five-time World Series champion, World Series MVP and five-time Gold Glove and five-time Silver Slugger winner. The Yankees retired his number, and he was almost unanimously elected to the Hall of Fame in 2020.