“I’d Like to Be (Derek) Jeter”: Philadelphia’s Bryce Harper Reveals His “Biggest Dream” Is to Follow Yankees Icon’s Post-Retirement Path

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ByAnanya Gondhi

Sep 28, 2024 | 12:45 PM EDT

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Retirement plans are just as critical as career goals, right? It’s all about securing that future while keeping the grind alive, and Bryce Harper, the Phillies superstar, has recently spilled the beans on his retirement dreams. But no need to panic—the 31-year-old isn’t dropping hints about leaving the field anytime soon. In fact, to the relief of fans, it sounds like he might not be saying goodbye to baseball even after retirement. So, how does he plan to stick around?

In the latest edition of Sports Illustrated, Bryce Harper spills the tea on how he plans to handle his baseball retirement. Spoiler alert: he’s got not one, but two exciting ideas for staying involved in the game once he hangs up his cleats! This guy has truly been a student, ambassador, and caretaker of baseball, so much so that now, he aims to own a Major League team someday. But who inspired this ambitious dream? It’s a legend from the New York Yankees – Derek Jeter.

Can Bryce Harper become the next Derek Jeter?

When Bryce Harper was chatting about his big dreams with Sports Illustrated, he affirmed: “I would like to be an owner/president. I would like to do what [Phillies president of baseball operations Dave] Dombrowski does.” But there’s a twist – Bryce isn’t just looking to follow in Dombrowski’s footsteps; he wants to do it from the ownership side. Speaking of owners, Harper admitted to setting his sights on following Derek Jeter’s journey, saying, “I’d like to be [like Derek] Jeter [was with the Miami Marlins].”

Derek Jeter was phenomenal as a player and captain, leading the Yankees to five division titles. But his stint with the Miami Marlins had its fair share of bumps; after a few rocky years, he made the tough decision to resign in 2023. Fingers crossed that Bryce Harper’s journey doesn’t hit those same rough waters! With 7 years on his contract, Harper has much chance to think this through. Chances are, he will make it after retirement, given Harper has another option left under his hat. Can you guess what? That’s a possibility in coaching; he won’t be doing this in the Major Leagues though.

Bryce wants to be a coach but not for MLB

Bryce Harper said “I just want to put the baseball [playing] version of myself behind me and put my coach’s cap on”. He is having a season for the ages—batting .287 with 30 home runs and 87 RBIs in 541 plate appearances; watching him transition to coaching would be a blast! But here is the catch – he would be training players on the college level, but why? His agent, Scott Boras, is scratching his head over that too.

As the Phillies star revealed himself whenever he talks to the agent about his dream retirement plans as a future college coach, Scott Boras hits him with the classic question: “You’re going to be a Hall of Famer… and you want to go back and coach college kids?” Bryce kept it simple: he just wanted to make things better for the kids. The right fielder feels strongly that “kids get lied to so much at the college level nowadays,” and he’s ready to flip the script by being honest and straightforward. Plus, he thinks it would bring a whole different vibe to coaching—a fresh mindset.

Grinding since 2012 and with a contract that runs until 2031, now, a change might be in the cards for Bryce Harper. But retirement is still far off. While he’s not looking to coach in the MLB just yet, Harper is definitely focused on ways to elevate his game as a player. Spearheading the Phillies to an NL East title and eyeing that elusive World Series trophy, exciting times lie ahead for him.

So, what do you think; will Bryce Harper bring home the series? And when the time comes for him to hang up his cleats, would you rather see Harper as an owner or a coach? Drop your opinions in the comments.