Derek Jeter's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of Derek Jeter.

Derek Jeter, nicknamed "the Captain," is a retired American professional baseball player who played his entire 20-year MLB career as a shortstop for the New York Yankees. A highly decorated player, Jeter was a 14-time All-Star, a five-time World Series champion, and won five Gold Glove Awards. In 2020, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, receiving nearly unanimous support. Post-retirement, Jeter served as CEO and part-owner of the Miami Marlins from 2017 to 2022.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Legacy & Impact

1978: Yankees Last Championship

The Yankees' last championship was the 1978 World Series, the first championship they won since 1996.

1992: High School Awards and College Scholarship

In 1992, Derek Jeter received several honors, including the Kalamazoo Area B'nai B'rith Award, High School Player of the Year awards from the American Baseball Coaches Association, Gatorade, and USA Today. He also received an All-State honorable mention in basketball. He earned a baseball scholarship to attend the University of Michigan.

1993: Improved Performance in the Sally League

In 1993, Derek Jeter showed significant improvement in the South Atlantic League (SAL), hitting .295 with 5 home runs and 71 RBIs. He was voted the "Most Outstanding Major League Prospect" despite committing 56 errors. He was named the SAL's Best Defensive Shortstop, Most Exciting Player, and Best Infield Arm by Baseball America.

1994: Minor League Player of the Year Awards

In 1994, Derek Jeter played across three minor league levels, hitting .344 with 5 home runs and 68 RBIs. He received Minor League Player of the Year Awards from Baseball America, The Sporting News, and Topps/NAPBL. He was also named the most valuable player of the FSL.

1996: 1996 ALCS Home Run

During Game 1 of the 1996 American League Championship Series (ALCS), Derek Jeter hit a controversial home run that was aided by fan interference. The Yankees won the game and defeated the Baltimore Orioles in five games. Jeter batted .361 in the 1996 postseason and led the Yankees to victory in the 1996 World Series against the Atlanta Braves, their first championship since 1978.

1996: Rookie of the Year and World Series Win

In 1996, Derek Jeter became the Yankees' starting shortstop, won the Rookie of the Year Award, and helped the team win the World Series against the Atlanta Braves.

1998: MVP Award Nomination

In 1998, Derek Jeter finished third in voting for the American League (AL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award.

1998: All-Star Selection and MVP Award Nomination

In 1998, Derek Jeter was selected for his first All-Star Game. He batted .324 with a league-leading 127 runs, 19 home runs, and 84 RBIs. He finished third in voting for the AL Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award. The Yankees defeated the San Diego Padres in four games.

1999: Career-High Numbers

In 1999, Derek Jeter recorded multiple career-high numbers.

1999: AL Hits Leader and World Series Championship

In 1999, Derek Jeter won a $5 million salary arbitration. He led the American League in hits with 219, finished second in batting average (.349), and scored 134 runs. His season totals in various categories were personal bests. In the postseason, Jeter performed well, helping the Yankees defeat the Braves to win the World Series.

1999: Wade Boggs' 3,000th Hit

In 1999, Wade Boggs became the first player to hit a home run for his 3,000th hit, an achievement later matched by Derek Jeter.

2000: All-Star and World Series MVP Awards

In 2000, Derek Jeter won both the All-Star Game MVP and World Series MVP Awards.

2001: "The Flip" and ALDS Assist

In 2001, Derek Jeter batted .311 with 21 home runs. During Game 3 of the ALDS against the Athletics, Jeter made a crucial defensive play known as "The Flip," assisting in an out at home plate that preserved the Yankees' lead. He also played in the 2001 MLB All-Star Game, hitting a home run off of Jon Lieber.

2001: "Mr. November" Home Run

In November 2001, Derek Jeter hit a game-winning home run in Game 4 of the World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, earning the nickname "Mr. November." Despite this, he struggled at the plate, batting .148 in the series, which the Yankees lost.

2002: All-Star Appearance and Stolen Base Percentage Leader

During the 2002 regular season, Derek Jeter batted .297, with 18 home runs and a career-best 32 stolen bases. He led the majors in stolen base percentage (91.4%) in 2002. Jeter also made his fifth All-Star appearance.

2002: ESPY Award

In 2002, Derek Jeter's play, "The Flip" won the Best Play ESPY Award.

2003: Inducted into Kalamazoo Central High School hall of fame

In 2003, Kalamazoo Central High School inducted Derek Jeter into its athletic hall of fame.

July 1, 2004: Diving Catch Against Red Sox

On July 1, 2004, Derek Jeter made an over-the-shoulder diving catch against the Boston Red Sox, resulting in a lacerated chin and bruised face. This play was voted the Play of the Year. Following the season, Jeter won his first Gold Glove Award.

2004: All-Star Season

In 2004, Derek Jeter made the All-Star team and finished the season with a .292 average, 23 home runs, 78 RBIs, 111 runs scored, and a career-best 44 doubles.

2005: Second Gold Glove Award

In the 2005 season, Derek Jeter was second in the AL in runs scored (122) and third in both at bats (654) and hits (202). Despite criticism of his defense, he won his second consecutive Gold Glove in 2005.

2006: 2,000th Career Hit

During the 2006 season, Derek Jeter recorded his 2,000th career hit, becoming the eighth Yankee to reach this milestone. He finished the season with a .343 batting average and earned his seventh All-Star selection. Jeter batted .500 with one home run in the 2006 ALDS, including a perfect 5-for-5 performance in Game 1.

2006: Hank Aaron Award and Gold Glove

In 2006, Derek Jeter finished second in the AL MVP voting but won the Hank Aaron Award for superior offensive performance and his third consecutive Gold Glove Award.

2006: World Baseball Classic Performance

In 2006, Derek Jeter started at shortstop for the United States national baseball team in the World Baseball Classic. He hit .450 and scored five runs in six games. Jeter was selected as the shortstop on the All-Tournament Team due to his play.

2007: Consistent Contributor

During the 2007 season, Derek Jeter was third in the AL with 203 hits and was selected for his eighth All-Star appearance. In the field, he was involved in turning a career-high 104 double plays.

June 27, 2008: 400th Career Double

On June 27, 2008, Derek Jeter hit his 400th career double.

September 14, 2008: Tying Lou Gehrig's Record

On September 14, 2008, Derek Jeter tied Lou Gehrig's record for hits at Yankee Stadium (1,269) with a home run.

2008: Improved Defense

In 2008, Derek Jeter's ultimate zone rating (UZR) improved from worst in the AL for shortstops in 2007 to close to league average, after focusing on lateral movement and quickness in training.

August 16, 2009: Hits Record as a Shortstop

On August 16, 2009, Derek Jeter broke Luis Aparicio's major league record for hits as a shortstop, with his 2,675th hit.

September 11, 2009: Yankees All-Time Hits Leader

On September 11, 2009, Derek Jeter became the all-time hits leader as a member of the Yankees (2,722), surpassing Lou Gehrig.

2009: Fifth World Series championship and Sportsman of the Year

In 2009, Derek Jeter batted .355 in the postseason, including .407 in the World Series, leading to his fifth World Series championship. He was named Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated and won the Roberto Clemente Award, Hank Aaron Award, his fourth Gold Glove Award, and his fourth Silver Slugger Award. Jeter also finished third in the AL MVP voting.

2009: Roberto Clemente Award

In 2009, Derek Jeter won the Roberto Clemente Award.

2010: Teammate Milestone and Statistically Worst Season

In 2010, Derek Jeter, along with Posada and Rivera, became the first trio of teammates in major league sports to play at least 16 consecutive seasons on the same team. The 2010 season was statistically Jeter's worst in many respects, with career lows in batting average (.270), OBP (.340), and SLG (.370). Despite this, Jeter was elected to start at shortstop in the All-Star Game and later rebounded with adjustments to his swing, and he won his fifth Gold Glove award.

2010: Advanced Statistics and Gold Glove Award

In 2010, advanced defensive statistics from FanGraphs.com and FieldingBible.com rated Derek Jeter below middle-of-the-pack status, despite him receiving his fifth Gold Glove Award that season.

May 28, 2011: Breaking Rickey Henderson's Stolen Base Record

On May 28, 2011, Derek Jeter broke Rickey Henderson's franchise record for stolen bases, achieving his 327th stolen base against the Mariners.

July 9, 2011: 3,000th Career Hit

On July 9, 2011, Derek Jeter recorded his 3,000th career hit, which was a home run off David Price of the Tampa Bay Rays. He finished the day with five hits in five at-bats and became the second player to hit a home run for his 3,000th hit. He is the only member of the 3,000 hit club to record all of his hits with the New York Yankees.

July 14, 2011: Record-Breaking Game with Posada

On July 14, 2011, Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada played their 1,660th game together, breaking the previous franchise record of 1,659 held by Lou Gehrig and Tony Lazzeri.

August 29, 2011: Most Games Played as a Yankee

On August 29, 2011, Derek Jeter played his 2,402nd game with the Yankees, surpassing Mickey Mantle's record for most games played as a Yankee.

2011: Kalamazoo Central High School renamed baseball field in his honor

In 2011, Kalamazoo Central High School renamed its baseball field in honor of Derek Jeter.

2012: Honorary Doctorate from Siena College

In 2012, Derek Jeter received an honorary doctorate from Siena College, recognizing his foundation's work.

2012: All-Star Game Hit Record

In the 2012 MLB All-Star Game, Derek Jeter recorded his 11th All-Star hit, surpassing Mickey Mantle for the most All-Star Game hits in Yankees history. Jeter finished the game with a .458 average, placing him fourth all-time among players with at least 12 plate appearances in the All-Star Game.

2014: Final Season Highlights and Records

In 2014, Derek Jeter recorded his 1,000th career multi-hit game. He was elected to start at shortstop in the 2014 All-Star Game and went 2-for-2. Jeter became the oldest player with two or more hits in an All-Star Game. He broke the MLB record for games started at shortstop and the Yankees' record for career doubles. Jeter also passed Carl Yastrzemski and Honus Wagner on the all-time career hit list.

2015: Inducted into New Jersey Hall of Fame

In 2015, Derek Jeter was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame.

May 14, 2017: Yankees retired Jeter's number

On May 14, 2017, the Yankees retired Derek Jeter's uniform number and unveiled a plaque in his honor at Monument Park in a pregame ceremony.

2017: Yankees Retired Number 2

In 2017, the New York Yankees retired Derek Jeter's uniform number 2.

January 21, 2020: Elected to Baseball Hall of Fame

On January 21, 2020, Derek Jeter was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame as part of its class of 2020 in his first year of eligibility.

2020: Hall of Fame Induction

In 2020, Derek Jeter was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.

September 8, 2021: Enshrined in Baseball Hall of Fame

On September 8, 2021, Derek Jeter was formally enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame in a ceremony in Cooperstown, New York.

May 3, 2025: Honorary Degree from University of Michigan

On May 3, 2025, Derek Jeter received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Michigan and delivered a speech at the university's spring commencement.