“I Wouldn’t Have Drafted Me” – Derek Jeter Once Belittled His 156 Pound Frame Long Before Becoming a New York Yankees Legend

Derek Jeter, whose name conquered the streets of New York all through his 20-year-long Pinstripes career, made his MLB debut in 1995. However, his career trajectory wasn’t always upwards, and in fact, before the shortstop made his Yankees debut, he worried that the Bronx front office would send him back home after weighing the amount of muscle in his body.

In an interview with the New York Post from 1999, the future New York Yankees captain spoke about his surprisingly low weight, which the Yankees’ strengthening coach eventually attested to.

Despite becoming a sensation in New York, and amongst the greatest defensive shortstops in MLB history, Jeter had no muscle, which would make you wonder how he managed to gain 3,000 hits.

Derek Jeter and his weight struggles on the road to MLB stardom

In consonance with that, the already two-time World Champion spoke about his fear after arriving at the Yankees spring training facility in Tampa. The shortstop spoke about his weight and essentially absent muscle when he first reached the Yankees camp after making it through the Minor League draft in 1992.

Captain Clutch said, “I wouldn’t have drafted me. I weighed 156 pounds fully dressed. The funny thing is on the basketball program in high school I was listed at 185 pounds. I figured when I got on the scale in Tampa they would just send me home.”

Read More: Resurfacing Image Shows a Much Younger Derek Jeter in His Favorite MLB Team Merchandise Trying Out Another Sport

Shawn Powell, the conditioning coach of the Pinstripes seconded Jeter’s comments, and remembered, “He had zero muscle on his body. None. Clothes just hung off him. I called him Gilligan in the Skipper’s clothes.”

Captain Clutch almost didn’t make it to the Yankees in the 1992 draft

It is worth mentioning that in the 1992 Major League Baseball draft, the Houston Astros had the first pick and their scout, Hal Newhouser, was particularly interested in Derek Jeter. However, the Astros ultimately made a different choice and selected Phil Nevin, which allowed the New York Yankees to acquire their future captain, Jeter.

Watch This Story – From Babe Ruth To Derek Jeter: New York Yankees Icons Whose Jersey Number Has Been Retired 

Despite the flaw in his physique, Derek Jeter achieved the greatest height as the Yankees captain and got an entire city to stand behind his personality, come what may. How do you think Jeter’s career would’ve panned out had the Yankees actually let him go? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.